Manila Airport (MNL) to the city
Grab from the designated bay is usually cheaper than the coupon taxi, and the four terminals need a real transfer between them.
- NAIA has four terminals and they are not walking distance apart. Allow real time and a shuttle or a car if your connection changes terminal.
- Grab is usually cheaper than the coupon taxi - roughly PHP 300 to 600 to Makati, BGC or Ortigas against PHP 500 to 800 from the coupon booth.
- Grab collects from a designated pick-up zone at each terminal, not from the arrivals kerb.
- The coupon taxi booth is inside arrivals and sells a flat rate - more expensive, but fixed and simple.
- Traffic is the dominant variable. Manila's congestion can double any journey time on this page; leave far more margin for a departure than seems reasonable.
The four terminals
NAIA's terminals are separate facilities on a large site. Terminal 1, 2, 3 and 4 are not connected by a walkway and moving between them means a road journey through airport traffic.
- Check which terminal your flight uses before you plan anything.
- A connection that changes terminal needs hours, not minutes.
- Shuttles run between terminals, and so do taxis.
Grab versus the coupon taxi
| Typical fare to Makati / BGC / Ortigas | |
|---|---|
| Grab | about PHP 300 to 600 |
| Coupon taxi | about PHP 500 to 800 |
- Grab is usually the cheaper option and the price is fixed in the app.
- Grab picks up from a designated zone at each terminal - follow the signs, and do not wait at the kerb.
- The coupon booth is inside arrivals and issues a flat rate to your destination. It costs more and requires nothing of you, which on a first arrival has its own value.
- Metered white taxis also operate. Insist on the meter if you take one.
UV Express and buses
- UV Express shared vans run fixed routes across Metro Manila for around PHP 100 to 150.
- They are cheap, crowded and slow, and not designed for anyone with luggage.
- Airport buses connect the terminals with points in the city and are a reasonable middle option.
Traffic
Manila's congestion is the single biggest factor in any journey here.
- A trip that looks like 30 minutes on a map can take two hours.
- Leave far more time for a departure than the distance suggests - this is the most common way people miss flights at NAIA.
- Check the hour. Late evening and early morning are dramatically faster than the afternoon peak.
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