Driving in Egypt on a Dutch Licence — IDP Required, Zero Alcohol & Cairo Chaos

Inside the EU your Dutch licence travels with you and nobody asks questions. Egypt is the first place that resets that habit, and the paperwork catches Dutch drivers off guard more often than the driving itself.

You need an IDP — the EU rule stops at the Mediterranean

Egypt is not party to the arrangements that let a Dutch licence stand alone abroad. An International Driving Permit is legally required, carried with your Dutch licence and passport. Rental desks in Cairo, Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh will refuse the car without it, and police at checkpoints expect to see all three together. Arrange the IDP through the ANWB before departure — there is no way to obtain one once you land. It covers stays of up to 3 months.

The real shock is Cairo, not the rulebook

You and Egypt both drive on the right, so there is no side switch to relearn — a comfort the British and Australians don’t get here. What replaces it is the traffic culture. Lane markings are treated as decoration, the horn does the work of indicators, and gaps close the instant they appear. After the orderly flow of Dutch roads this feels like organised chaos, because it is. Keep a steady speed, signal your intentions early, and let pushy drivers in rather than fighting for the gap. Outside the cities the roads empty out and calm down considerably.

Speeds are low and alcohol is a hard zero

Town limits sit at 60 km/h, rural roads at 90, and motorways cap at 100 km/h — slower than home, and worth watching because checkpoints and unmarked speed humps are common. A typical over-limit fine runs roughly EGP 300-500 (around €6-10), usually settled on the spot. The line you cannot cross is alcohol: Egypt runs a 0.0 limit, no margin whatsoever, against the 0.05 you have in the Netherlands. One drink is one too many, and the penalties are severe.

Before you collect the keys

Petrol is cheap at roughly $0.35/litre, so fuel is the least of your costs. The car should carry a warning triangle and fire extinguisher; check both are present before you sign. Save 122 for police and keep offline maps loaded, as rural signal drops out. Read the full picture on our Egypt driving guide, confirm your documents with the Driving Permit Checker, and if a fine does land, our guide to who pays driving fines abroad explains where you stand.