Cairo International Airport (CAI)
Tel: (02) 265 2222 (New Terminal) or 5000 (Old Terminal).
Automated flight information tel: 0900 77777 (premium rate).
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 has two sections, confusingly called Terminals 1 and 2. The Old Terminal (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. The New Terminal (Terminal 2) has two terminal buildings, and is used by other international airlines. The airports are roughly 3km (2 miles) apart and are linked by a free 24-hour EgyptAir shuttle bus, running roughly every 30 minutes.

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.

Airport facilities: These include 24-hour foreign exchange, a tourist information counter, snack bars, duty-free shops, a restaurant, 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 E£50. Visitors should avoid bargaining with taxi touts inside. There is also an official ‘limousine taxi' service, with fixed fares of E£70. Even more convenient, and more expensive, are the limousine transfers offered by luxury hotels, which cost from around E£100 (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.