Time Zone
Egypt observes Eastern European Time which is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), and seven hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (when it's noon in New York, it's 7:00 PM in Cairo). Daylight saving time is used during the summer when Cairo is three hours ahead of GMT.
Official Holidays
| January 7 | 1st Day of Christmas |
| April 25 | Sinai Liberation Day |
| May 1 | Labor Day |
| June 18 | Evacuation Day |
| July 23 | Revolution Day |
| October 6 | Army Day |
| December 23 | Victory Day |
In addition to the above, there are at least six other holidays that vary by date throughout the year as determined by the Islamic Lunar calendar.
Banking Hours
As a general rule, banks are open from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM, Sunday to Thursday. Most banks are closed on Friday and Saturday. The Misr Bank branches at all major hotels and airports are open around the clock. Banks are also closed on official holidays.
Office Hours
Government offices: 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Closed on Fridays, Saturdays and official holidays.
Commercial offices: 8:30 AM to 2:00 PM. Closed on Fridays.
Shopping Hours
Shops are usually open from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and again from 4:30 PM to 8:00 PM, except in the summer on Mondays and Thursdays, when they stay open until 9:00 PM.
In winter, shops open from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, except on Mondays and Thursdays, when they stay open until 8:00 PM. Most shops close on Sunday, but some are closed on Friday (the Muslim day of worship). Some shops and services, as well as the Khan El-Khalili Bazaar, close or close early on Sunday.