Cairo - Getting Around - Air

Flights to Cairo are provided by a number of different airlines, including Egypt Air, Lufthansa, Royal Jordanian Airlines and Emirates Airlines.

Cairo International Airport (CAI)
Tel: (02) 265 5647 (Terminal 1) or2417 (Terminal 2).
Website: www.cairo-airport.com

Cairo International Airport is located 22km (14 miles) northeast of central Cairo and is the main international gateway to Egypt. It hasthree terminals. Terminal 1 comprises four terminal buildings: three are used mainly by the national carrier, EgyptAir, for both domestic and international flights, while the fourth is used for private planes. Terminal 2 has two terminal buildings, and is used by other international airlines.The terminals are roughly 3km (2 miles) apart and are linked by a free 24-hour EgyptAir shuttle bus, running roughly every 30 minutes.

Airport facilities
These include 24-hour foreign exchange, a tourist information counter, snack bars, duty-free shops, cafes, restaurants, shopping malls and a range of international car hire companies.

Transport to the city
The Cairo Airport Shuttle Bus (tel: (02) 265 3937/8) runs to locations throughout the city. There are also public buses. A far easier option is to take an official taxi from outside the terminals, which should cost approximately E50. Visitors should avoid bargaining with taxi touts inside. There is also an official limousine taxi' service, with fixed fares of E70. Even more convenient, and more expensive, are the limousine transfers offered by luxury hotels, which cost from around E100 (to hotels in nearby Heliopolis) to around E200 (city centre). The taxi ride to/from the centre takes 30 minutes to one hour depending on traffic.

Approximate flight times to Cairo
From London is 5 hours; from New York is 11 hours; from Los Angeles is 15 hours; from Toronto is 13 hours 20 minutes and from Sydney is 21 hours.