How to Travel from Cairo to Giza: Taxi, Bus, or Private Transfer?

If you are visiting Egypt, you will likely come into the country via Cairo's international airport, and want to visit neighboring Giza after spending a few days exploring Cairo.

Located just 17 kilometers (or 11 miles) from Cairo, Giza is on the site where the ancient capital of Memphis used to be, and there are a few popular ways to get from Cairo to Giza to start exploring the pyramids and surrounding ruins and temples.

A visit to Giza usually requires 1–2 days, because Giza is also home to the new Grand Egyptian Museum, which is worth a visit too.

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How to Get from Downtown Cairo to Giza by Taxi (recommended for speed, without a guide)

Egypt Capital Cairo

Since Giza is just about 15–40 minutes away from Cairo by car (depending on where in Cairo you are staying), getting a taxi is easy and recommended if you're planning to visit the pyramids independently. Your hotel will be able to help you flag one down, and you likely will be paying around 2–4 US dollars one way.

For peace of mind, you can pay your driver a little extra to wait for you on site, and take you back to your hotel in Cairo after your visit. Alternatively, if you don't know how long you'll be or don't want to feel rushed, there are plenty of taxis to take you back to downtown Cairo from Giza too.

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How to Get from Cairo Airport to Giza by Taxi (recommended for speed, without a guide)

If you are going straight from Cairo Airport to Giza, this likely will cost around 10–15 US dollars in a taxi, and takes around 60 minutes. While this journey is little longer than traveling from downtown Cairo to Giza, if you are staying at a hotel in Giza this is a good option for your transfer from the airport.

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How to Get from Cairo to Giza by Organized Tour Bus (most cost effective, with a guide)

Getting an organized tour to pick you up at your Cairo hotel and take you to Giza as well as around Giza is the most cost-effective way if you're thinking of getting a tour guide on site anyway. This way you know that your transport there and back is taken care of, and you'll be able to learn more about the pyramids from your tour guide in a small group (or a large group).

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How to Get from Cairo to Giza by Private Transfer and Tour (most comfortable, with a guide)

While traveling without a guide is very doable, we do recommend going with a guide in order to get all the historical context and to help with planning the order of how to visit the pyramids, and which buildings to visit around the pyramids.

If you wanted to have a private tour of the pyramids, Global Highlights can also arrange that for you at your pace and to fit your time schedule. If you're on a tight timeline or you think you'll have lots of questions to ask the guide and would rather not be in an inflexible group situation, this would be your best way to go. This is likely the most comfortable and easiest method of getting from Cairo to Giza and making the most of your trip.

Suggested reading: 15 Top Egypt Travel Tips

Visitors' Information for the Pyramids

Giza Pyramids

Just in case you didn't know and are planning your trip to Giza yourself, the pyramids are open to visitors between 8am and 5pm in the summer, and between 8am and 4pm in the winter.

Ticket prices to visit the pyramids are 200 Egyptian pounds (about 8 US dollars) each, with extra tickets needed to enter the Great Pyramid, the Pyramid of Khafre, the Pyramid of Menkaure, or the Sphinx. You can find additional costs below:

• Entry to the Sphinx of Giza: 80 EGP (3 US dollars)
• Entry to the Great Pyramid: 400 EGP (16 US dollars)
• Entry to the 2nd or the 3rd pyramid: 100 EGP (4 US dollars) each

Further reading: The Great Pyramid of Giza (Khufu Pyramid): How to Visit It