Yes it is true now you can travel by road and you can make it in the same day between the 2 countries
I managed to travel to Sudan and back to Egypt using the new road qostol – Eshkit ,or you can call it Aswan –Wadi Halfa ,or Abu simble ,Wadi Halfa
Things went smooth and easy
The route start from Aswan you head toward the famous temple of Abu Simble , you must be there at 8 am so better to go a day before and rest in one of the few hotels there
By 7 :30 try to find the ferry
You won’t miss it it is just in the center of the very small town behind the bank
Ask any one will point it
I believe there is like 3 ferry boat daily
One of it run by the Egyptian military but the best one is the first one at 8 : 30 start to sail from the west bank to the west bank of the Nile and it cross it in 90 minutes
I didn’t pay as I was invited by the manager of the boat but I think it will not be more than 30 Egyptian pound for a motorbike and for a car I don’t know but I think it will be around 300 to 500 LE depend on how big is your car ( 1 USD = 7,10 Egyptian pound )
When you reach the east bank of the Nile you have to drive for 30 km ,it is only one way ,you will be at the gate of the border
I paid 90 Egyptian pound to cross the gate ( on the way back I paid 100 )
When you cross the gate you will go to the left side you will be between 2 buildings,your fist office is the last one on the right hand side , you go there to scan and check your luggage ,it is painful as I had to move all my luggage to the x ray machine and then have to load it back to my bike
Just cross that scan room there is a small booth you have to go there and pay 60 LE for checking and security thing I don’t know what was it although I got receipt
After that just 2 rooms next to the xray room the immigration room you stamp your passport
After that 2 room next to the immigration there is the customs room where you will stamp your carnet
I had Egyptian carnet so I paid something around 50 Egyptian pound
I don’t know if you have foreign carnet I think you pay something like 550 LE
Any way you must take a receipt for each money you pay ,if you have any problems or any one ask you for money without receipts ask for the manager of the port ( his office is the first one in that building that all your work will be with it and explain to hem politely that why you have to pay money without receipts or if you can’t reach hem try to speak with any officer ( officer you will see stars or eagles on his shoulders )
After you sort and stamp your carnet you must get your bike and go around the building to the traffic room
There they will take your chassis number and you have to pay something like 30 Egyptian pound
You may here pay little bakshish something like 10 Egyptian pound to the guy who will bring a pencil and a small paper to get your chassis number , but still you don’t have to pay them ,it is just to make things faster
Make sure that you copy all your documents at least 4 copies and to get an empty paper file they will take your copies and the papers they will make and keep it there
I had to photos copy 2 papers and to buy that sh—t empty file for 80 Egyptian pound ,( the price in any town like Aswan won’t be maximum 3 Egyptian pound )so buy it from before to save money
The reason for that very high price it is rental office and they pay huge amount of money for the rent !!!!!!
After that you are ready to leave
The Sudan side
by Sudanese laws you must have a fixer to sort your papers, I spoke to the manager of the port and I knew that from hem
You will find many fixers there you pay 100 to 200 Sudanese pounds maximum for his service and it is after you are ready to leave the port and all sorted don’t let the fixer pay any money, tell hem I will pay it myself and make sure you get a receipt too
1USD = around 8 Sudanese pounds
I spent 4 hours to finish the Sudan side had to pay around 155 insurance, and 20 to make photo copies and other things so I paid around 320 Sudanese pounds .
Still pricey but it is way way cheaper and easier than the ferry between Aswan and Halfa
if you are morethan 3 travelers and you will share the cost of a fixer , so you relax and he will do every thing for you
i only trust kamal from Aswan in the Egyptian side , and Mazar from Halfa in Sudan side
Good luck and travel sage always