Getting Your Bearings
Al Qahirah al Jadidah — the New Cairo district — sits within the vast Greater Cairo metropolitan area, home to more than 22 million people. For a visitor, the practical options for moving around fall into a clear order of usefulness: ride-hailing apps, the Metro, white metered taxis, and walking. Beyond those, you'll also encounter buses, microbuses, tuk-tuks, river boats and feluccas, a monorail, and intercity trains. This guide walks through each, plus how to get in from the airport.
Ride-Hailing: The Easiest Option
Uber and Careem are the most practical way for a visitor to get around. Careem is owned by Uber, but the two apps operate separately in Egypt, so it's worth running both — that way you can compare and avoid surge pricing or long waits. Fares are locked in before you confirm the trip, the interface is in English, routing is by GPS, and you can pay by card or cash. Both apps support live trip sharing.
- Vehicle tiers: UberX is the standard option, with a low base fare plus per-kilometre and per-minute charges. Uber XL (up to six people) and newer-vehicle tiers cost roughly 30–40% more. Careem's pricing tracks closely to Uber's.
- Setting your pickup: Drop a map pin rather than typing an address — Cairo addresses and transliterations are unreliable. Stand somewhere a car can actually stop.
- Timing: Expect surge pricing and longer waits roughly between 3 PM and 7 PM.
- Before you arrive: You don't need an Egyptian SIM or phone number, but set up your account and payment method before you land.
The Metro
Cairo's Metro opened in 1987 as the first metro in Africa and the Arab world. It has three lines covering roughly 100 km and more than 60 stations, and it's air-conditioned and frequent — trains run about every 3 to 6 minutes from around 5 AM to midnight. Weekday rush hours (roughly 7–9 AM and 4–7 PM) are extremely crowded.
Fares are distance-based and were raised on 27 March 2026. You can buy a paper ticket at the window or a machine, or use a rechargeable smart card. Keep your ticket — you reinsert it at the exit turnstile. Signage and announcements are in both Arabic and English.
One important rule: the first two cars of every train are women-only. Women may ride anywhere, but men should avoid those cars.
What the Lines Connect
- Line 1 runs north–south through the core. Sadat station serves Tahrir Square and the Egyptian Museum; Mar Girgis puts you at the gate of Coptic Cairo; El-Malek El-Saleh is the closest stop for the Citadel.
- Line 2 runs north through Downtown to Giza. Shohadaa connects to Ramses Railway Station; Sadat is the interchange with Line 1; Opera serves Gezira island and the opera house; Giza station is on the west bank but is not within walking distance of the Pyramids.
- Line 3 is the newest, crossing the city from the northeast to the west via Heliopolis, Downtown, and under the Nile at Kit Kat. Attaba interchanges with Line 1 and is a short walk from Khan El Khalili; Bab El Shaaria sits on the edge of Islamic Cairo; Stadium interchanges with the monorail.
Note that Line 3 does not yet reach the airport. An extension is under construction but isn't expected until around 2028.
Taxis
There are two kinds of street taxi: older black-and-white cabs (being retired) and newer white taxis with meters. The golden rule is to insist on the meter or agree on a fare before you get in — never after. Meter enforcement is patchy, so be prepared to negotiate.
- Rough rates: a short neighbourhood hop runs about 20–40 EGP; a medium ride across the centre about 40–80 EGP; a longer haul toward Giza or the airport area about 100–200 EGP.
- Communicating your destination: show it in Arabic or as a Google Maps pin — not all drivers read English.
- Watch for: fare inflation (drivers asking two to three times the going rate) and the "broken meter" gambit.
Buses, Microbuses and Other Modes
Beyond the Metro and taxis, a range of other transport exists, though most are less convenient for a first-time visitor.
- CTA buses and microbuses: cheap, but using them requires Arabic and patience.
- Monorail: driverless, running to the New Administrative Capital and the far-eastern suburbs, with a premium fare set at launch.
- River bus: a very cheap way to cross or travel along the Nile.
- Private felucca: a scenic sail rather than a commuting option.
- Intercity trains: useful for onward travel — Alexandria and the sleeper service to Luxor are both available from Ramses Railway Station.
Walking
Walking is free and often the best way to experience a neighbourhood. It works particularly well in Islamic Cairo, Coptic Cairo, Downtown, Zamalek, and along the Corniche. For longer cross-city journeys, though, the heat, traffic and distances make the Metro or a ride-hailing app a better choice.
Getting In From the Airport
The Metro does not currently serve the airport — the Line 3 extension that will connect it is still under construction and not expected until around 2028. That leaves ride-hailing and taxis as your realistic options.
- Ride-hailing: the simplest choice. Set up Uber or Careem, and your payment method, before you arrive. Drop a map pin for your pickup point rather than typing an address, and stand where a car can stop.
- Taxi: agree the fare before entering or insist on the meter. A longer haul toward the airport area runs roughly 100–200 EGP, so treat that as your benchmark and be alert to inflated quotes.
Whichever you choose, having your destination ready in Arabic or as a map pin will save time and confusion.