⚠️ Use Uber/Careem (legal, upfront price) or the official prepaid taxi desk in arrivals - ignore the 'taxi friend' touts. For Uber, Terminal 2 pickup is outside Gate 7 and Terminal 3 pickup is parking space B5; for Careem, follow the app. Common scam: a driver asks you to cancel the app trip and pay cash, then demands far more (often a fake 'airport fee' - the real fee is tiny). Keep the ride in-app, carry small bills, and allow extra time for Cairo's heavy traffic.
Cairo International Airport
Cairo, Egypt
Use Uber or Careem - both operate legally at CAI and are the safest, most predictable way into the city (upfront price, tracked, no haggling). For Uber, Terminal 2 pickup is curbside outside Gate 7; Terminal 3 pickup is parking space B5, reached via Gate 4 and the Car Park stairs. For Careem, follow the location shown in the app. If you can't use an app, the official prepaid taxi desk in arrivals gives a fixed zone fare and an official white taxi (white taxis have meters; older black-and-white taxis generally do not - agree the fare before travel). Ignore the 'taxi friend' touts inside the terminal, and never cancel your app ride to pay a driver cash - that's the classic Cairo overcharge. Budget heavily for traffic.
Ride Options
Uber
rideshareUpfront, tracked pricing to anywhere in Cairo
Careem
ridesharePopular regional app; in-app 'White Taxi' option
InDrive
rideshareNegotiated pricing - often the lowest-cost app
Official Prepaid Taxi Desk
taxiFixed zone fare with no haggling if you can't use an app
SIXT Ride — Pre-booked Airport Transfer
ChauffeurFixed-rate pre-booked transfer - professional driver, no touts
Pickup Guidance
Rideshare
Uber and Careem both operate legally. For Uber, Terminal 2 pickup is curbside outside Gate 7; Terminal 3 pickup is in parking space B5, reached via Gate 4 and the Car Park stairs. Upfront price (cash or card); Careem offers an in-app 'White Taxi' (tracked, metered). Book on airport Wi-Fi if you don't yet have data. Never cancel the app trip to pay a driver cash.
Taxi
White taxis have meters. Older black-and-white taxis generally do not — agree the fare before travel. An official prepaid taxi desk in each arrivals hall sets a fixed zone fare and assigns an official white taxi. Avoid any tout soliciting inside the terminal.
Shuttle
A free Automated People Mover connects Terminal 1, the Air Mall, the Car Park, Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 in five minutes or less. It runs 18 hours a day, with a six-hour maintenance window. There is no dedicated city shuttle bus.
Transit
The Cairo Metro does not reach the airport. The nearest station is Adly Mansour, connected by a dedicated bus. For now, use Uber/Careem, the prepaid taxi desk, or a white taxi.
Private Transfer
Pre-booked transfers and meet-and-greet drivers wait in arrivals with a name sign - the calmest option after a long flight and the best way to sidestep the tout scene.
Travel Extras
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Local Tips
- Use Uber or Careem and keep everything in the app - upfront price, tracked ride, no negotiation. A very common scam: the driver asks you to cancel the app trip and pay cash, then demands several times the fare (often citing a fake 'airport fee'). Don't cancel.
- The real airport access fee is tiny - any driver demanding a big 'airport usage fee' in cash is scamming you.
- Ignore the 'taxi friend' touts inside the terminal - use Uber/Careem, the official prepaid desk, or a white taxi only.
- Carry small bills - 'no change' ('mafeesh fakkah') is a standard tactic to keep your change as an unasked tip.
- Allow huge extra time for traffic - 15 km to downtown can take 60-90 min at peak; to the Giza Pyramids 45-120 min.
- Confirm you're at CAI, not Sphinx (SPX) - a smaller, far-western airport for some charters and New Capital routes.
Tarmyq local tip
Uber and Careem are your best friends at Cairo airport - keep the whole ride inside the app. The big scam is a driver asking you to cancel and 'pay cash' (often citing a fake airport fee); don't do it - the app price is the real price. And carry small bills; 'no change' is a daily Cairo ritual.