Getting from Hurghada airport to your hotel

Hurghada airport is the easiest Red Sea arrival for a UK holiday: the resorts sit along the coast, none is far away, and the road is a single main route. Most British guests are at their hotel within an hour of landing, plus the time to clear the visa desk and passport control.

The practical decision is how you travel from the terminal. A pre-booked private transfer takes away the queue for taxis and the haggling, and a driver waits for you at arrivals. Below are approximate drive times for each area, so you can plan the first evening.

Approximate drive times by area

• Hurghada town and the marina: roughly 10 to 20 minutes.
• El Gouna, to the north: roughly 25 to 35 minutes.
• Sahl Hasheesh, to the south: roughly 25 to 35 minutes.
• Makadi Bay: roughly 35 to 45 minutes.
• Soma Bay: roughly 45 to 60 minutes.
• Safaga: about an hour, sometimes slightly more.

These are estimates, not timetables. Traffic at the checkpoints and the position of your hotel inside the resort can add 10 or 15 minutes. If your hotel is at the far end of a large complex, allow for it, and ask the hotel for its own estimate when you confirm your booking.

After the flight: visa and passport control

From most UK airports the flight takes roughly five to five and a half hours, and Egypt is usually two hours ahead of the UK. UK passport holders need a visa, which carries a fee, and should read the passport validity rule on GOV.UK before flying. Buy it at the desks in the arrivals hall before passport control, or get an e-visa before you travel. Hurghada is outside Sinai, so the free Sinai-only entry stamp does not apply here.

Choosing how to travel

A private transfer is booked from the airport transfers page. The driver meets you at arrivals with your name, and the vehicle depends on the size of your party. The price depends on that vehicle and on the distance to your hotel, so check the page for the current price. Taxis from the rank are cheaper only if you agree the fare in advance.

If you arrive late at night, a pre-booked driver is worth more than usual, because there is no queue and no negotiation after a long day. Tell us the flight number so the driver can follow delays, and keep the driver's contact details to hand once you have landed.

Money, phones and early arrivals

Change a small amount of cash at the airport or at your hotel's exchange desk, because small notes are useful for tips and market stalls. Check your mobile roaming charges before you leave the UK, as they differ by network. Hotels have Wi-Fi, so you can message home on arrival without using data.

Hotels differ in how they handle early arrivals. Many UK flights land well before the standard check-in time, so ask your hotel whether your room will be ready, and if not, whether you can leave bags and use the pool. A late-night arrival usually avoids that problem.

Planning around your first trips

Our trips collect you from your hotel, so you do not return to the airport for them. The Luxor day trip leaves at 04:30 and the Cairo coach at 01:00, so tell your hotel the evening before and ask for a breakfast box where possible.

Think about luggage and vehicles. Two adults with two large cases fit a car comfortably, but a family with a pushchair and four cases needs a minivan. Tell us the number of guests and bags when you book, so the driver brings the right vehicle, and the price reflects the vehicle size.

Keep your hotel confirmation handy. Some hotels in Sahl Hasheesh, Makadi Bay and Soma Bay sit well off the main road, and the driver will need the exact hotel name. The same goes for El Gouna, where the hotel's district matters. Give us these details early and the transfer runs more smoothly.

On the way home, build in time. Check in at the airport about three hours before an international flight, and ask the hotel for the time your driver will collect you. Allow extra for the drive from the south, such as Soma Bay or Safaga, and for the security checks on the way into the airport.

Your first day

Plan nothing for the first day. Sleep, swim and walk around the hotel, and leave early starts for the second day or later. If you want something gentle for the first afternoon, the Hurghada city tour is a four-hour shared trip that visits Al Mina Mosque, the fish market, the El Dahar souk and the marina, with a 09:00 or 15:00 pick-up. Hotels in Hurghada, El Gouna, Makadi Bay, Sahl Hasheesh and Soma Bay are covered by hotel pick-ups for our trips. For Safaga, ask our team before booking.