Popular Airport | Entebbe Intl. Airport |
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Popular Airlines | |
Approximate Flight Duration | 12 hour 10 min |
Approximate Travel Distance | 9845 Km |
Situated in the Metro Marina District, composed of many cities, Manila, the capital of the Philippines, is the city with the largest population in the country. The city of Manila is divided into sixteen towns. These include Malate, the hotel district, the tourist-driven entertainment district Ermita, Intramuros reflecting the city's historic charm, San Miguel and Sampaloc with their universities, and Paco, which is predominantly the center of business. Manila is the most developed city in the Philippines, with regards to transportation, business and education. At the same time, Manila is a very pleasant choice for tourists with its green nature and unique islands.
This city is home to Ninoy Aquino International Airport. In Manila, the most commonly used means of public transportation within the city are rail system and buses. In addition to traditional means of urban transport, there are also public transportation systems peculiar to the Philippines, such as phaetons, three-wheel vehicles and minibuses. When you use public transport in the city, you can take advantage of single use tickets, or the special tickets that you can load money on.
We advise you to buy these special tickets, especially if you travel frequently, so that you can avoid the long ques to buy ticket every time. You can check the departure times of the vehicles from the internet, but we recommend that you do not depend on these hours too much. Buses usually do not stick to these schedules. At the same time, as public transportation vehicles are often crowded, it is useful to pay attention to your valuable goods during your trip. If you want to travel faster and more practically, you can also use taxis, and bicycles and phaetons that work like taxis. Since the tourist areas and entertainment venues in the city are close to each other, it is possible to reach some places by foot. In addition, you can travel to many different coastal cities in Metro Manila by the ferries that you can take from the port area near the Pasig River, located in the Manila Bay.
As an alternative to traveling to neighboring cities, you can also use intercity buses and train lines. More options are available in the city center to provide transportation to Ninoy Aquino International Airport. It is possible to reach the airport from various parts of the city by buses or Jeepneys, which are used as minibuses. There are also taxi or car rental options to access the airport. One of the most serious problems at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport is that there is no regular connection between the terminals. There are four terminals in the airport, but the connection between them is provided by vehicles; a way that is not common in many other airports. For this reason, it is necessary to pay attention to which terminal you should get off when you travel to the airport. If you get off at the wrong terminal you may need to take a bus or Jeepney again. While Terminal 1 is used for international flights, Terminal 2 is reserved for the flights of Philippine Airlines. Terminal 3 is used for domestic flights and Terminal 4 is for eligible flights and, in some cases, international flights.
Buses, passing through many areas of the city, take the passengers to the stations at the exit of the arrival gates of the airport. You may need to transfer to a train, where the airport buses do not pass through. You should keep in mind that airport buses are very crowded during heavy traffic hours. The buses that go to the airport from the area where you are located usually change, and they travel around many parts of the city changing their routes, especially at busy times. Buses are one of the most preferred means of urban transport. Bus lines are an important public transport option throughout the city, especially for travelling to the points that trains cannot reach.
The land vehicles which have large capacities, called as jeepney, are used as a means of public transport. As with many public transports, Jeepneys can be overcrowded. Jeepney, the most popular public transportation system in the country, has also become a traditional symbol of the Philippines with its unique style of decoration. These vehicles provide transportation services to many of the areas you want to go in the city.
If you want to use a cheap, fast and practical means of public transport that is not affected by the traffic jam, train is the best option. Nevertheless, trains are as crowded as all other means of public transport. Trains, known as LRT (Light Rail Transit System), travel throughout the entire Metro Manila region, including Manila. Although it uses a light rail system, the LRT lines are similar to the system that the metro uses. Although the train lines do not provide a direct service to the airport, most buses and jeepneys to the airport offer connections from these train lines.
There are two different train lines. The green line, LRT 1, starts at Baclaran Station, in the southernmost part of city, and travels up to the Roosevelt Station, in the north of the city, following the road by the Manila Bay, in the west of the city. The blue line, LRT 2, runs parallel to the Pasig River, traveling to west from the east, linking LRT 1 and MRT (metro) lines.
Metro does not provide a direct transport service to the airport, as in the case of the trains. It is possible to transfer to the buses to the airport from some metro stations. The Metro is known as the MRT (Metro Rail Transit System) and operates similarly to the light rail system. The MRT line is known as the third (yellow) line, as the continuation of the LRT 1 and LRT 2 lines. With this line, you can transfer to LRT 1 line at Roosevelt Station. From the North Avenue Station, which is the first stop on this line, you can travel to the south of the city in the east direction, and transfer to Taft Avenue Station, the southern tip of the green line, on the southernmost part of the city. So the LRT 1 and MRT lines draw a circle around the city and the LRT 2 line connects these two lines, from the very center of this circle.
The heavy rail system operating with a single carriage engine, called railcar, is also known as the orange line, PNR (Philippine National Railways), among the rail systems in the Philippines. These vehicles depart every half an hour and are usually preferred for transportation between neighboring cities in Metro Manila region.
In the Philippines, all means of public transportation are crowded; this is why it cannot be said that public transport provides a fast and comfortable transportation service. For this reason, taxis are one of the most comfortable options for airport transportation from the city. However, taxi fares are very high compared to public transportation. Taxis that are especially serving to the hotels can charge higher fares compared to ordinary taxis, so we advise you not to trust the taxis in general. Especially drivers who do not open the taximeter can charge much more than normal fare.
In addition to the standard taxis, there also taxis known as Pedicabs; these are bikes mounted in cabins for two. These are much more affordable than standard taxis, but they usually work at short distances and their safety can be questioned. So these do not offer a convenient option to go to the airport.
If you are in a region where you are having difficulty reaching public transport, you can also use three-wheeled taxis, called Tricycle. Tricycle and Pedicab vehicles have stations in the city center. If you wish, you can use these to get to the city center, and continue your trip from here by transferring to other vehicles.
Another option for quick and practical transportation to the airport is renting a car. Especially if you are going to spend time in the city before going to the airport, we recommend you to rent a car. It is possible to find a car from the Rent a Car offices located in the city center. You can also reserve your car online in advance. However, we remind you that the traffic inside the city can sometimes be very cramped.
Ninoy Aquino International Airport is an airport serving not only to Manila, but to all cities in Metro Manila region. Known as the largest airport in the Philippines, Ninoy Aquino cannot please its passengers in terms of service provided.
The fact that it is not possible to travel between the terminals on foot can lead to serious troubles in transportation. In addition, due to organizational shortcomings, flight annulations and delays are frequent. Within the airport, each terminal has ATMs and machines to exchange money. In Terminal 1, which is also used for international flights, there are two duty-free shops where you can find quality favors, as well as many cafes, restaurants and bars.
Passengers who plan to fly domestically within the Philippines can spend time in a large four-storey shopping mall linked to Terminal 3 while they are waiting for their flight.
In Entebbe, there is a heavy traffic in general. Although traffic flow is comfortable late at night and early in the morning, traffic during the day is rather heavy. Besides, the drivers in the city don't follow traffic rules. For this reason, renting a car may sometimes be troublesome for those who are not so familiar with Entebbe traffic. However, it is possible to find the offices of many car rental companies in the city center. Considering the heavy traffic, you can prefer motorbike to the car if you are experienced at riding a motorbike. However, you should bear in mind that the most injury cases in Uganda are caused by motorbike accidents. If you are going to ride a motorcycle, at least you should wear your helmet. If possible, it would be a good idea to wear special protective clothing (such as jackets, knee pads).
Public transportation in Entebbe may sometimes be very challenging. Especially the careless and dangerous driving of the drivers as well as the old and neglected cars may be frightening for tourists. Means of public transport in the city are the minibuses, which are especially preferred at short distances, and the buses. These vehicles, which are extremely low in price, cover even the shortest distances at a longer time than they should due to the extremely crowded and heavy traffic. Motorcycle taxis called Boda Boda are the most preferred means of transportation in Entebbe.
The fact that motorbikes are smaller and have more agility compared to cars come with great advantages in heavy and complicated traffic. However, you should always remember to take the necessary precautions for your safety. Besides Boda Boda, the motorcycle taxis, you can also find normal taxis easily in the city center.
Taxis in Entebbe generally don't have fixed stands and a legal status. So anyone may serve his/her car as a taxi if you ask, or they may sometimes offer to pick you up. Taxi service in the city is not very reliable because there are not any regulations for taxis here. None of the taxis has a taximeter; even when they have, the taximeters are mostly broken. For this reason, it is absolutely necessary to negotiate and agree with the driver in advance about the destination and taxi fare. Generally speaking, you shouldn't hesitate to bargain because the taxi fares are very high, especially if you are a tourist.
If you want to take a taxi, always try to prefer a taxi that your hotel or, if possible, someone you know recommends you take. Entebbe International Airport serves not only Entebbe city but also many other surrounding cities. Transportation from these cities to Entebbe International Airport is mostly provided through Kampala. It is very easy to reach Entebbe International Airport from Kampala by small minibuses. These minibuses depart every 30 minutes or hourly depending on the density. Ticket only costs 3000 UGX, it means 1 dollar. However, the tourists may sometimes be charged twice a ticket price. The journey takes about one hour. If the traffic is not heavy, the journey time is much shorter.
You can also get to the city center from Entebbe International Airport in a very short time. Taxi is the most preferred transportation option from the airport to Entebbe city center, which is very close to the airport. You can also reach the city center by renting a car at the airport. Another alternative is the shuttle-like transfer vehicles run by Uganda Airport Transfers Company.
You can easily find a taxi in front of the airport exit. If possible, try to take a taxi you are recommended or ask your hotel to arrange a taxi for you. As there is no taximeter in the taxis in Entebbe, remember to bargain with the driver about the taxi fare in advance. Don't pay the taxi fare in advance.
You can find the car rental offices of Hertz and Europcar at the airport. You also save time by renting your car online in advance. Please remember that you must have an international driver's license to rent a car. If you want to take advantage of this option, you should bear in mind that Entebbe traffic is generally quite dense and complicated. In addition renting a car, you can also rent a motorbike, which is a very common option in Entebbe.
If you want, you can also rent a car with a driver as well. Unlike the standard airport shuttle services, Uganda Airport Transfers, which is a private company, provides transfer services with various vehicles. Transfer vehicles vary from standard 3-person cars to 25-person buses. Each vehicle takes a luggage per seat. Another different service provided by this company is that it offers "door-to-door" service rather than traveling on a specific route. In addition, you can also benefit from the taxi services provided by this company.
A limited number of hotels offer airport shuttle services since Entebbe International Airport and the city center are very close to each other. However, even if your hotel doesn't provide shuttle service, they can arrange an option to pick you up at the airport upon your request.