Egypt Country Code +20
The Arab Republic of Egypt uses the international country calling code +20. You will see +20 on calls and messages related to Cairo’s government, banking and call-centre sector, Alexandria’s ports, manufacturing zones around the Nile Delta, Red Sea and Sinai tourism, and daily mobile use across one of the most populous countries in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region.
Egyptian numbers are commonly written internationally as +20 2 2345 6789 for a landline in Cairo or +20 100 123 4567 for a mobile line. Inside the country, the same numbers may appear as 02 2345 6789 and 0100 123 4567 with a leading 0 trunk prefix. For global systems, the best practice is to store all Egypt contacts in clean E.164 format as +20 followed by the national number without the 0.
This page explains how Egyptian phone numbers are structured, how to dial +20 from abroad, how the Africa/Cairo time zone (with seasonal time changes in recent years) works, and what to consider when calling businesses, government offices, call centres and local mobiles in Egypt.
Don’t confuse: Egypt (+20) with neighbouring countries like Sudan (+249) or Saudi Arabia (+966). All are part of the wider MENA region but each uses a different country code and numbering plan.
Example Cairo landline
+20 2 2345 6789
Representative fixed-line format for the capital (02 2345 6789 nationally). Exact ranges depend on the operator and may change.
Example mobile number
+20 100 123 4567
Mobiles are usually written nationally as 0100… (11 digits); in E.164, drop the 0 and store as +20 plus 10 digits.
Time & region
Africa/Cairo (UTC+2 / UTC+3)
Egypt uses Africa/Cairo. In recent years it has alternated between standard time UTC+2 and daylight saving time UTC+3; always verify current offset.
Overview – where +20 is used and what those calls usually mean
Country code +20 is assigned to Egypt. Calls from +20 numbers may come from ministries, banks and service centres in Cairo, port and logistics operations in Alexandria and Port Said, industrial zones along the Nile, offshore energy projects, or hotels and tour operators in Luxor, Aswan, Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada.
For many companies, Egypt is part of a wider regional presence that also includes Gulf states, North Africa and Europe. Correctly tagging and validating +20 numbers helps you:
- • Apply the right international calling and SMS pricing to Egypt destinations.
- • Respect local office hours in Africa/Cairo time when scheduling calls.
- • Segment Egyptian customers, suppliers and call-centre campaigns in your CRM.
In practice, mobile numbers are critical for reaching individuals, delivery drivers and field staff, while landlines remain common for government, banks and larger organisations. Many Egyptians also rely heavily on messaging apps linked to their +20 mobile.
Typical +20 use cases in business, tourism & services
- Shared-service & call centres – regional customer support, telesales and outsourcing operations based in Cairo and Alexandria.
- Tourism & travel – hotel front desks, tour operators and transport providers around the Nile and Red Sea resorts.
- Trade & logistics – Suez Canal-linked shipping agents, freight forwarders and industrial suppliers.
For any of these use cases, store at least one primary +20 mobile in E.164 format so that alerts, security codes and delivery updates can reach the right person even outside office hours.
Egypt phone number formats (+20)
Landline: +20 A XXXX XXXX · Mobile: +20 1XX XXX XXXXEgypt uses country code +20 with a 0 trunk prefix for calls inside the country. Landline and mobile numbers have slightly different patterns, but for international calls you always dial +20 plus the national number without the leading 0.
-
• Landlines: area code (1–2 digits) + subscriber number (usually 7–8 digits).
Example: Cairo (02) 2345-6789 → +20 2 2345 6789. -
• Mobiles: nationally written as 01X… with 11 digits total
(including the 0). When stored internationally you drop the 0 and keep 10 digits after +20.
Example: 0100 123 4567 → +20 100 123 4567. - • Trunk prefix: 0 is dialled inside Egypt before area and mobile codes.
- • E.164 storage: +20 followed by the national number with no 0, spaces or symbols (for example +20223456789 or +201001234567).
Exact prefixes and lengths can evolve as the numbering plan is updated, so if you are building a strict validator it is safer to rely on official regulator documentation. For most CRM and messaging use cases, normalising to +20 plus 9–10 national digits is sufficient.
Sample Egypt numbers
Patterns illustrative onlyRepresentative Cairo fixed-line contact; domestically dialled as 02 2345 6789.
Example coastal office number used for shipping, freight and port-related communication.
Typical mobile contact for bookings, airport transfers and last-minute schedule changes.
How to dial Egypt (+20)
1. From Europe (e.g. Germany, France)
From most European countries, you dial:
- Dial the international access code (often 00).
- Dial 20 – Egypt country code.
- Dial the national number without the leading 0.
Example (Germany → Cairo landline 02 2345 6789): 00 20 2 2345 6789.
2. From the USA or Canada
From North America, Egypt is dialled as a standard international destination:
- Dial 011 – international access code from NANP countries.
- Dial 20 – Egypt country code.
- Dial the national number without 0.
Example (US → mobile 0100 123 4567): 011 20 100 123 4567.
3. Inside Egypt & calling abroad
- Within Egypt (landlines): dial 0 + area code + subscriber number, e.g. 02 2345 6789 for Cairo.
- Within Egypt (mobiles): dial national format like 0100 123 4567 directly.
- From Egypt to other countries: dial 00 + country code + national number (for example 00 44… for the UK, 00 1… for the US).
In software and address books, always strip the 0 trunk prefix and store all contacts as +20… so numbers still work correctly when users roam abroad.
Normalisation tip: if a user enters 0223456789,
0020223456789 or +20-2-2345-6789, you can strip any extra prefixes and formatting
and store the number as +20223456789. For mobiles, 01001234567,
00201001234567 and +20 100 123 4567 should all end up as
+201001234567.
Time in Egypt – understanding Africa/Cairo (UTC+2 / UTC+3)
Egypt uses the single IANA time zone Africa/Cairo. In recent years the country has alternated between standard time UTC+2 and daylight saving time UTC+3, with DST applied seasonally by government decision.
For systems and scheduling, you should:
- • Store all Egypt datetimes with the zone Africa/Cairo rather than a fixed numeric offset.
- • Allow for the fact that local time may change during the year if DST is active.
- • Confirm current local time before critical calls, especially when coordinating with Europe or the Gulf.
Cairo’s business hours are typically aligned with working days Sunday–Thursday for the public sector and many companies, while some private businesses also operate on Saturdays. When planning calls, keep both the local weekend and the Africa/Cairo offset in mind.
Africa/Cairo compared with other hubs
| City / region | Time zone | Typical relation |
|---|---|---|
| Cairo | Africa/Cairo | UTC+2 (standard), UTC+3 (DST, seasonal) |
| Riyadh | Asia/Riyadh (UTC+3) | Usually 1 hour ahead of Cairo in winter; aligned when Cairo on DST |
| Athens | Europe/Athens | Often aligned with Cairo during parts of the year |
| London | Europe/London | ≈ −2 to −3 hours vs Cairo (seasonal) |
| New York | America/New_York | ≈ −6 to −7 hours vs Cairo (seasonal) |
| Dubai | Asia/Dubai (UTC+4) | 2 hours ahead of Cairo in winter; 1 hour ahead when Cairo on DST |
Because DST rules may be updated by the Egyptian government, always rely on a time-zone aware library and avoid hard-coding offsets in your application.
Safety & emergency calls in Egypt
Egypt uses short codes for emergency services. The most commonly referenced national numbers include:
Police
122
Short-code 122 is widely used for the police. In practice, many people also contact internal security numbers for their employer or hotel in non-urgent cases.
Ambulance
123
123 is the main ambulance number in Egypt. It can typically be dialled from mobile and landline networks without any prefix.
Fire brigade
180
180 is widely associated with the fire service. In large buildings, internal fire or security contacts may also exist.
Practical tip
Confirm locally
Exact emergency arrangements and additional short codes can vary and may change. On arrival, confirm with your hotel, host, employer or local contacts which numbers to use for different types of emergencies.
For day-to-day incidents (lost property, delays, minor medical issues), many travellers find it faster to call a hotel front desk, tour operator or corporate security duty phone, usually a +20 mobile, which can then coordinate with local authorities.
Examples: calling +20 numbers
UK (London) → Cairo landline
Landline in Cairo: 02 2345 6789.
- Dial 00 – international prefix from the UK.
- Dial 20 – Egypt country code.
- Dial 2 2345 6789 – national number without 0.
Result: 00 20 2 2345 6789
USA (New York) → mobile in Cairo
Mobile number: 0100 123 4567.
- Dial 011 – international prefix from the US.
- Dial 20.
- Dial 100 123 4567 – drop the leading 0.
Result: 011 20 100 123 4567
UAE (Dubai) → resort in Sharm El-Sheikh
Hotel main line: 069 345 6789 (example national pattern).
- Dial 00 – international prefix from the UAE.
- Dial 20.
- Dial 69 345 6789 – national number without 0.
Result: 00 20 69 345 6789
Egypt country code +20 – FAQ
What is the country code for Egypt?
The country code for Egypt is +20. Any phone number starting with +20 is part of the Egyptian telephone system, whether it is a mobile, landline or service number.
How many digits are in an Egyptian phone number?
Landline numbers usually have a 1–2 digit area code plus a 7–8 digit subscriber number, giving a total national significant length of around 9 digits. Mobile numbers are typically 11 digits in domestic format starting with 01X (including the leading 0). When stored internationally, you drop the 0 and use +20 plus the remaining digits (so 10 digits after +20).
Why do some Egypt numbers begin with 0?
The leading 0 is a national trunk prefix, used only for calls inside Egypt. For example, Cairo numbers appear as 02… domestically and mobiles as 01X…. When writing or storing numbers internationally you should remove the 0 and use +20 instead.
How should I store Egypt numbers in my CRM or application?
Store all Egypt numbers in E.164 format as +20 followed by the national number without the trunk prefix 0 and without spaces or punctuation. For example: +20223456789 for a Cairo landline or +201001234567 for a mobile. Tag contacts with country = EG and, if helpful, the city or governorate.
Does Egypt use daylight saving time?
In recent years Egypt has re-introduced daylight saving time, switching between UTC+2 and UTC+3 in the Africa/Cairo zone according to government decisions. Because rules can change, you should rely on a time-zone aware library and treat Africa/Cairo as a dynamic zone, not a fixed offset.
Is +20 a mobile or landline code?
+20 is the country code for all Egyptian numbers, both mobile and landline. Whether a number is mobile or fixed depends on the digits that follow +20. Domestic mobiles usually start with 01X…, while landlines begin with other area codes such as 02 for Cairo or 03 for Alexandria.
Download the Egypt (+20) dialing & Africa/Cairo time zone cheat sheet
Export this page as a one-page PDF summarising Egypt country code +20, landline and mobile number formats with trunk prefix 0, Africa/Cairo time zone behaviour, and best practices for storing and validating +20 numbers in your systems.