Arriving in Cairo: CAI & Sphinx Airports, E-Visas, Metro & ENR Trains

Greater Cairo is served by two international airports on opposite sides of the metropolis, Cairo International Airport (CAI) in north-eastern Heliopolis and Sphinx International Airport (SPX) on the western edge of Giza, alongside the national rail hub of Ramses Station and a three-line metro network.

1. Cairo International Airport (CAI) vs Sphinx International Airport (SPX)

• Cairo International Airport (IATA: CAI, 20 km North-East of Downtown): Egypt's primary aviation gateway operates three main terminals linked by a free automated AirTrain mini-metro: Terminal 3 (Star Alliance and flag carrier EgyptAir), Terminal 2 (OneWorld, SkyTeam, European, and Gulf airlines), and Terminal 1 (located 1.5 km north at the end of the AirTrain). Allow 40 to 60 minutes by car to Downtown or Zamalek, and 60 to 75 minutes via the Ring Road to Giza hotels.
• Sphinx International Airport (IATA: SPX, West Giza): Situated along the Cairo to Alexandria Desert Road just 15 to 20 minutes from the Grand Egyptian Museum and the Giza Pyramid Plateau, SPX handles a growing network of low-cost and regional flights from Europe and the Middle East.

2. Egyptian Visas, Airport Transfers, Metro Lines 1 to 3 & Ramses Station

• E-Visa vs Visa on Arrival Bank Kiosks: Passport holders from the UK, EU, United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand can either obtain a single- or multiple-entry e-Visa in advance through the official government portal (`visa2egypt.gov.eg`) or purchase a Visa on Arrival sticker at the official Banque Misr and National Bank of Egypt kiosks inside the terminal before joining the passport control queue (bring crisp US dollars, euros, or pounds sterling in cash for the bank window).
• Getting into the City by Uber & Metro: Ride-hailing apps (Uber and Careem) operate from signed parking bays outside CAI Terminals 1, 2, and 3 and offer fixed GPS routing without haggling. Once in the city, the air-conditioned Cairo Metro (Lines 1, 2, and 3) connects Sadat (Tahrir Square), Mar Girgis (Coptic Cairo), Safaa Hegazy (Zamalek), and Al-Shohadaa (Ramses Station), with two middle carriages on every train reserved exclusively for women.
• Egyptian National Railways (ENR) from Ramses Station: From historic Misr Station on Ramses Square, air-conditioned Talgo, Spanish, and VIP trains run north to Alexandria (2.5 hours) and south along the Nile to Luxor and Aswan (check `enr.gov.eg` for foreign-visitor online booking).