Go ahead and exchange some money in the airport - best to do this before going through customs. ATMs for all major cards are available in the arrival halls. Visas are available at the bank counters before immigration. They are USD 15 and can also be paid in other currencies. Change is given in EGP or USD.
The airport offers “Exclusive Services” that picks you up at the gate, does all immigration procedures for you and picks up your luggage while you wait in a comfortable arrival lounge for USD 50, not including the visa fees. It can be pre-booked via phone: Tel. +202 16708
Visitors are allowed to buy duty free articles on arrival. If you’re visiting European or American Friends they are always keen to get your passports to get more booze and cigarettes than the excepted quantity at customs. At the airport, the additional quantity is 4 bottles of alcohol. In Terminal 3 there is one shop before immigration opposite the smoker’s lounge (well not really) but a much bigger one with a broader variety in the arrival hall after customs. At the check-out a customs official will check your passport and give approval for the purchase. You can be accompanied by the person picking you up (i.e. your host can choose the booze and pay while you only provide your passport).
The airport has three terminals, the latest of which was opened in 2009. Egypt-Air and all Star Alliance members now operate all flights to and from the new Terminal 3. Most other airlines arrive at Terminal 1. Terminal 2 is closed since 2010 for renovation works. A free shuttle bus runs between the two terminals and the bus station every 30 minutes, 24 hours a day. Taxi drivers trying to lure you at the airport will try to tell you otherwise regarding the shuttle bus, but go outside the terminal and you will find the free shuttle bus. At Terminal 3 it is located at the arrival level at the end of the bus lane (turn right after the exit). At Terminal 1 the Shuttle Bus stops are at Hall 3 in front of the AirMall and at Hall 1 at the curb side. Unfortunately the bus stops are not marked. Sometimes you have to change busses at the bus station due to the driver's coffee break.
The airport is on the north-eastern outskirts of the city at Heliopolis. If you want to spend the night at the airport,there are currently two hotels available:
Novotel Cairo Airport, (), . �
Le Passage, (), . was Iberotel �
A new 5-Star Hotel is beeing build at Terminal 3.
There are other lodging options in nearby Heliopolis.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Cairo
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Cairo - updated Apr 2024
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Cairo Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
