Red Sea · Egypt
Where is Safaga, Egypt?
Safaga (سفاجا) is on Egypt's mainland Red Sea coast, south of Hurghada. It is 515 km by road from Cairo (about 6 h 45 min by car).
At a glance
Where exactly is Safaga?
Safaga is on Egypt's mainland Red Sea coast, south of Hurghada, in the Red Sea Governorate, at 26.7500°N, 33.9400°E. By road it is 515 km from Cairo (about 6 h 45 min); in a straight line the distance is 450 km.
Safaga is a working port town and quiet resort known for windsurfing, offshore reefs such as Panorama Reef, and mineral-rich black sand used for therapeutic sand baths.
How far is Safaga from other cities?
Road distances and realistic drive times for a private car, the straight-line distance, and the quickest way to travel from Safaga.
Sharm El Sheikh is only 135 km away in a straight line, but the Gulf of Suez lies in between: by road it is 795 km (about 11 h) around the gulf. A direct flight takes about 55 min.
| To | By road | Drive | Straight line | Direct flight | Best way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soma Bay | 26 km | 30 min | 11 km | — | By road |
| Makadi Bay | 30 km | 35 min | 26 km | — | By road |
| Sahl Hasheesh | 51 km | 50 min | 38 km | — | By road |
| Hurghada | 62 km | 50 min | 58 km | — | By road |
| El Gouna | 87 km | 1 h 10 min | 76 km | — | By road |
| Marsa Alam | 225 km | 3 h 15 min | 210 km | — | By road |
| Luxor | 230 km | 3 h 15 min | 175 km | 1 h 5 min winter only | By road |
| Aswan | 440 km | 6 h | 315 km | 1 h 15 min winter only | By road |
| Cairo | 515 km | 6 h 45 min | 450 km | 1 h 5 min | Direct flight |
| Giza | 515 km | 6 h 45 min | 450 km | 1 h 5 min | Direct flight |
| Abu Simbel | 705 kmvia Aswan | 9 h 30 min | 545 km | — | Fly via Cairo |
| Alexandria | 730 km | 9 h 15 min | 630 km | 1 h 55 min winter only | Fly via Cairo |
| Saint Catherine | 735 km | 10 h | 200 km | 55 min | Direct flight |
| Sharm El Sheikh | 795 km | 11 h | 135 km | 55 min | Direct flight |
| Dahab | 840 km | 12 h | 205 km | 55 min | Direct flight |
Drive times are for a private car with one short stop; long-distance buses take roughly a third longer. Straight-line distances are measured between city centres. Road data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
How to get to Safaga
By air
Hurghada International Airport (HRG) is 53 km from the centre, about 50 min by taxi or transfer. Direct flights from Cairo take about 1 h 5 min. Direct domestic flights also link it with Sharm El Sheikh. Direct international flights, many of them seasonal charters, arrive from Europe and the Middle East.
By road
From Cairo: 515 km, about 6 h 45 min by car. Long-distance buses run daily from Cairo.
Flights to Hurghada International Airport from abroad
Typical non-stop flight times to Hurghada International Airport (HRG), the nearest airport to Safaga. Where there is no direct service, most travellers connect in Cairo.
- Istanbul 2 h 25 min Direct
- Rome 3 h 40 min Direct
- Milan 4 h Direct
- Vienna 4 h Direct
- Zurich 4 h 10 min Direct
- Munich 4 h 10 min Direct
- Frankfurt 4 h 25 min Direct
- Berlin 4 h 30 min Direct
- Moscow 4 h 45 min Direct
- Paris 4 h 45 min Direct
- Copenhagen 4 h 50 min Direct
- Amsterdam 4 h 50 min Direct
- Stockholm 5 h 5 min Direct
- London 5 h 20 min Direct
Via Cairo Athens, Barcelona, Brussels and Madrid
- Dubai 3 h 50 min Direct
Via Cairo Amman, Beirut, Jeddah, Riyadh, Kuwait City, Bahrain, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Muscat
Via Cairo Mumbai, New York (JFK), Toronto, Beijing, Chicago, Seoul, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Sydney
Direct services to resort airports are often seasonal, and schedules change; check with the airline before booking.
Places near Safaga
Frequently asked questions
Where is Safaga located?
Safaga is on Egypt's mainland Red Sea coast, south of Hurghada, in the Red Sea Governorate of Egypt, at 26.7500°N, 33.9400°E.
What is the nearest airport to Safaga?
Hurghada International Airport (HRG), 53 km from the centre of Safaga, about 50 min by car.
How far is Safaga from Cairo?
Safaga is 515 km from Cairo by road, about 6 h 45 min by car, or 450 km in a straight line. A direct flight takes about 1 h 5 min.
How do you get from Safaga to Sharm El Sheikh?
The quickest way is a direct flight, about 55 min, which runs a few times a week. By road it is 795 km around the Gulf of Suez, about 11 h.
What is Safaga famous for?
Safaga is a working port town and quiet resort known for windsurfing, offshore reefs such as Panorama Reef, and mineral-rich black sand used for therapeutic sand baths.