Getting from Hurghada Airport to your hotel without the taxi hassle

Landing in Hurghada is the easy part. The flight is behind you, the sun is out, and your hotel is somewhere along the coast waiting. The bit that catches people out is the short stretch between the arrivals hall and actually getting in a car.

What the arrivals hall is like

Hurghada International is not a big airport, but when two or three charter flights land together it fills up fast. You clear passport control, grab your bags, and the moment you step out you are in a small crowd of drivers, all keen to be the one who takes you. It is friendly enough, but after a long flight it is not where you want to be negotiating a price.

Your options, honestly

• A pre-booked private transfer — a driver is already waiting with your name on a sign, the price is fixed, and you walk straight past the queue. Easiest by a mile.
• An airport taxi — available, but you are agreeing the fare on the spot, and rates climb late at night and for the further-out resorts.
• A resort coach — cheap, but it waits to fill up and then drops at several hotels before yours, which can add an hour or more.

If you have booked ahead

Head for the arrivals hall, just past baggage. Your driver will be holding a sign with your name. We track your flight, so an early or late landing changes nothing — the driver is there either way, with an air-conditioned car and cold water for the drive.

A few small things that help

• Have your hotel's full name written down — some resorts share very similar names.
• Keep a little cash handy for a tip if your driver helps with heavy bags. It is appreciated, never expected.
• If you are heading to El Gouna, Soma Bay or Makadi, the drive is longer than people expect — 30 to 60 minutes — so a comfortable car matters.

Sort the transfer before you fly and the first hour in Hurghada is exactly what it should be: straight from the plane to the pool.