Taxis are very cheap to use in Hurghada and in all Egypt, but there are way too many of them. This means that there are taxis everywhere, but not enough customers for everyone. This might be one of the reasons why dealing with taxis in Egypt can be difficult.
Read here how to use the taxis in Hurghada and all Egypt.
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Hurghada taxis
Taxis are commonly used in Hurghada for moving around the city. Since there is no organized public transportation eg. buses, taxis and microbuses are the only way for tourists to move between the different areas of the city.
In Hurghada taxis are everywhere and they want to take you for a ride, even when you try to walk somewhere. You see and hear them everywhere you go.
Taxis are also very affordable to use in Egypt. Since cars in Egypt are relatively expensive, most people can’t afford to buy a car of their own. But actually, they don’t even need one since driving a taxi is ridiculously cheap in Egypt and Hurghada.
Even though Hurghada taxi prices are low, I constantly find myself having problems with the drivers. Here are my tips for avoiding them.
In Hurghada taxis are orange-blue coloured and in Cairo the taxis are white.
Taxi fares | How much does it cost to use taxis in Hurghada?
First of all, the taxis in Egypt have meters, but you will notice that they are not used. And if they are used, you can’t trust those.
From my experience, Hurghada taxi prices are not based on taxi meters, even though the meters should be used.
Therefore, the most crucial thing is to agree about the price with a driver beforehand.
Five kilometers by taxi in Hurghada costs about 20-30 Egyptian pounds (LE.).
Please notice that the prices may have changed.
At the moment 10 Egyptian pounds is about (3/2022):
- 0.50 EUR
- 0.55 USD
- 0.41 GBP
Here are a few examples about Hurghada taxi fares:
20-30 Egyptian pounds: The distance between Sakkala and Mamsha is about five kilometres, likewise from El Dahar to Sakkala.
The distance between Mamsha and El Dahar is about 10 kilometres, and it will cost about 40 le.
Read more about the different areas in Hurghada:
Even though the taxi tariffs have increased in past years, the fares are still very reasonable. Even if you pay some extra you not going to get bankruptcy, since the taxi prices in Egypt are very low.
If you are insecure about how much you should pay for the taxi in Hurghada, ask someone. I’m sure your hotel staff can tell how much the taxi costs for example to Hurghada Marina from your hotel.
How to deal with the taxis in Egypt and what to do to avoid the problems
As said earlier, dealing with taxis in Egypt can be difficult and frustrating.
As a tourist, it’s good to know what to do and how to deal with the taxis in Egypt. When you know the basic rules, it’s much easier to understand the taxi culture.
It’s very common to disagree about the price with the taxi drivers. Even the locals have the same problems.
From my point of view, the problem is that there are way too many taxis and not enough customers for all.
When there is no work enough and you need to feed your family, some drivers try to overcharge the customers to get more income.
I want also to remind you that there are also good and honest taxi drivers working in Hurghada and all of Egypt.
Next: Tips for using the taxis in Egypt
Tips for using the taxis in Egypt
Follow these instructions when using the taxis in Egypt. When you know the common tricks, it’s much easier for you.
Before going inside to the car
- Always agree about the price beforehand.
- Also make sure you both are talking about the Egyptian pounds. Sometimes a driver can say at the end “The price was 20 British pounds, not Egyptian pounds.” Or he can say also that the price which you agreed on was for one person and since there are three passengers, you need to pay a triple price. In these cases pay the price you agreed about and walk away. There is no need to pay a triple price or in foreign currency!
- If the driver is asking a ridiculously high price from the beginning, start negoatiating with another taxi. When you have managed to sort out a good price, jump in the taxi. Don’t forget to double-check the price.
- Make sure, you have an exact amount of money for the taxi. This is why you should always save small banknotes.
- Also it doesn’t harm to check the license plate and taxi number and write it down.
If you are a woman travelling alone, don’t go to sit to front seat. Always, use a back seat.
Inside the taxi
- Go inside a gab and try to relax. The traffic is crazy in Egypt, the first time in the taxi can be scary.
- If the driver starts to raise the price, when you are already inside (this happens a lot), ask him to stop the taxi and take another one. Don’t pay anything, since you probably drove only a few metres.
- When you arrive at your destination, get off the car and give the money through the window. Count the money and make sure you give the right amount of the money. You can even say: “Here are 25 Egyptian pounds.”
A scam that is commonly used by the taxi drivers is to change the money and claim that customer didn’t give enough money. A driver can change 50 Egyptian pounds to 5 pounds banknote and say that you paid 5 Egyptian pounds by accident. This is why it’s crucial to be precise with the money.
- It’s better to pay when you are already outside. If there come any problems, for example, a driver is asking more money, just walk away. You paid the price you agreed on, that’s it. If the driver causes problems, you can always call tourist police. In this situation, tourist police is an effective word and usually helps.
You can also ask a driver to turn the taximeter on. Some drivers are refusing to use a taximeter and they are usually “broken.”
Another problem with a taximeter is also that you never know if the meter has been fixed or not.
Anyways, don’t be afraid to use taxis. Not all drivers are cheating. When you find a good taxi driver, use him. For example, some drivers are willing to wait for you when you go shopping.
They can even take you to different places during the day. You can use the same taxi for hours and at the end, you pay for example 120 Egyptian pounds per hour, or whatever you have agreed on with a driver. Pay a fair price for a good driver and everyone wins.
Next: The other ways for getting around in Egypt
Other ways for getting around in Egypt
When I move around in Hurghada, I also use taxi apps such as Uber or Careem. Uber and Careem are both working in Cairo. The cars are better than regular taxis and you don’t have to negotiate about the prices. To use these services you need an Egyptian sim card with an internet connection.
Read more: How to get a data sim card from Hurghada? Uber and Careem in Hurghada Abc-taxi Hurghada
If you decide to move around in the city, you can also use a microbus. Microbus is, even more, cheaper than the taxi (about 2.5.le/person) and very simple to use (just hop in and off).
Read more: Microbuses in Hurghada
Some hotels in Hurghada have their own shuttle buses. Ask for more details from your hotel staff.
All in all, don’t be afraid to move from your hotel, explore Egypt, there are lots to see!
Click here to go back to the front page to read more about Hurghada.
Bedankt voor de goede tips om met taxi’s om te gaan in Egypte. Het lijkt ons heel gaaf om daar een keer naar toe te gaan op vakantie. Met al onze kids en bagage moeten we dan denk ik een taxibus bestellen. Het is een goede tip om een fijne chauffeur te zoeken en die de hele dag te houden, dat zullen we onthouden!