Ramadan in Egypt for Foreigners, What Changes and How to Behave

When Ramadan 2027 will start

In Egypt the start of the month is announced by Dar al-Ifta after the new crescent is sighted. According to astronomical calculations, Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around 8 February, with Eid al-Fitr in early March. The exact date will be announced the evening before, after the moon sighting.

For comparison, in 2026 Ramadan in Egypt began on 19 February. Dates in neighbouring countries and back home can differ by a day, so follow Dar al-Ifta's announcement rather than forwarded messages.

In February and March the fast in Cairo lasts about 12 or 13 hours, and the weather is mild, without the heat.

Office and bank hours

During Ramadan the working day in government offices is usually cut by about an hour, and many offices work roughly from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. During Ramadan 2026 banks served customers from 9:30 to 13:30. In private companies the schedule depends on the employer.

If you need to extend a visa or your iqama, or submit documents to a university or an embassy, come in the morning and allow extra time. Closer to iftar the offices empty out, and during Eid al-Fitr institutions are closed for several days.

How to behave in public during the day

Muslims fast from dawn to sunset: they do not eat, drink or smoke. In 2015 Egypt's Interior Ministry stated that the penal code does not punish eating in public during the fast, although in past years police sometimes detained people for it. Either way, it is not customary to eat, drink or smoke in front of people who are fasting during the day.

• If you are not fasting (travelling, ill or not Muslim), eat at home, in a café or in a separate room at the office.
• Dress more modestly than usual, especially near mosques.
• Do not play loud music or argue in the street: people are tired and hungry, especially towards evening.
• Be patient in queues, taxis and public transport as iftar approaches.
• If you are invited to iftar, bring dates, sweets or fruit.

Iftar and suhoor the Egyptian way

Iftar begins with the call to the evening Maghrib prayer. People usually break the fast with dates and water or drinks: karkade, apricot «qamar el-din» and sweet «sobia». Then comes a hearty dinner, with kunafa and qatayef for dessert.

Suhoor is eaten before dawn, before the morning call to prayer. In Egypt people often have ful (stewed fava beans), eggs, cheese and yoghurt for suhoor. In some neighbourhoods the mesaharati still walks the streets at night, waking people for suhoor with a drum.

In many districts «mawaed al-rahman», free iftar tables, are set up in the streets. Anyone who is fasting can sit down, and it is one of the warmest traditions of Ramadan in Egypt.

Shops, cafés and delivery

During Ramadan 2026 shops, malls, cafés and restaurants could stay open until 2 a.m., takeaway and delivery ran around the clock, and supermarkets, bakeries and pharmacies had no time limits. The rules for 2027 will be announced separately.

During the day cafés in hotels, malls and tourist areas are usually open, while small local eateries often open only for iftar. An hour before iftar supermarkets have queues and couriers are overloaded, so do your shopping and place orders earlier in the day.

Before Ramadan the state usually opens «Ahlan Ramadan» fairs where food is sold below market prices. Garlands and fanous lanterns appear all over the cities and are sold on every corner.

Transport and traffic jams

The worst time on the roads is one or two hours before iftar: everyone is rushing home, and taxis and ride-hailing cars are hard to find. During iftar itself the streets empty, and afterwards they come back to life until late at night.

The metro usually runs longer during Ramadan. In 2026 the last trains left after midnight, and trains ran more often before iftar. The 2027 timetable will be announced by the Ministry of Transport. Read more about the metro and taxis in our article transport in Cairo.

Tarawih, the last ten nights and Eid

In the evenings mosques fill up for tarawih prayers, especially Al-Azhar and Al-Hussein Mosque. In the last ten nights people seek Laylat al-Qadr, and mosques are even more crowded.

For Eid al-Fitr the state gives several paid days off; in 2026 it was from 19 to 23 March for both civil servants and the private sector. Banks and offices are closed on those days, so finish important matters in advance.

How Tullab helps during Ramadan

Plov, samsa and pastries for iftar or a festive table are easy to order from cooks in the home-cooked food section. Arrange it early: before Eid cooks get a lot of orders.

Do you cook yourself? Post a listing a week or two before the month begins, when people start looking for someone to cook their iftar.