How to Get From Manila Airport to Manila City Centre

Air21 offers a premium airport bus service called UBE Express, which operates between Manila Airport and various transport hubs in Metro Manila. These buses drop off passengers only at specific stops. So, knowing where your hotel is will help you decide if the shuttle bus is a convenient option.

From Manila Airport, the nearest routes are to Victory Liner – Pasay, Parañaque and Robinsons Manila. If you’re heading north towards Quezon City, you can take the Araneta City bus. If you’re going south of Metro Manila, you have a couple of options: the Vista Terminal Exchange bus to Alabang or the Laguna bus if you’re heading even further.

Travel time is usually 30 minutes to 1 hour, but it will still depend on road and traffic conditions.

You can buy your ticket from the UBE Express booth, which is available outside the arrival hall of every Manila Airport terminal.

Another option is to pay using a Beep Card — a reloadable travel card that some locals use. But if you're a foreign traveller spending just a few days in Metro Manila, a Beep Card might not be cost efficient. Pay by cash instead.

UBE Express ticket prices:

• $2.40 (150 PHP) – Pasay, Parañaque, and Manila routes
• $3.30 (200 PHP) – Araneta City and Alabang routes
• $4.90 (300 PHP) – Laguna

Departure and arrival stations

UBE Express buses offer P2P (Point-2-Point) pick-up only at NAIA Terminal 3, specifically at Bay 12, where you'll also find the ticket booth.

If your flight lands at Terminals 1, 2, or 4, you'll need to go to Terminal 3 to take the UBE Express bus to your next stop. To get to Terminal 3, you can hop on the UBE Express Parañaque bus, which covers transfers between terminals for only $0.80 (50 PHP). Note that some of their trips get cancelled, which they announce on the UBE Express Facebook page.

There is a free shuttle bus operating between Manila Airport terminals, but this is only available for travellers with a connecting flight in a different terminal. You’ll need to show your boarding pass and flight ticket to get on.

See the schedule for different routes of UBE Express bus below:

A taxi is the most convenient way to get to and from Manila Airport. Taxis are hard to miss, as they are usually parked outside of the arrivals hall.

There are three types of taxis you can book from the airport to Manila city centre. There is the coupon taxi, the metered airport taxi, and the metered regular taxi. We explain them all below. But first, we would like to highlight booking a taxi with Grab.

Grab (Asian Uber)

You can order a Grab straight from Manila Airport. There’s a Grab booth outside every airport terminal where you could ask for assistance in booking your ride. This is usually the cheapest private transfer you can get here.

Grab rates depend on your destination, but they typically start at $4.60 (280 PHP) if you’re heading to Makati.

Wi-Fi is pretty bad in the Philippines and a sim card can save you a lot of hassle and frustration. You can buy your sim card as soon as you arrive and already save part of the costs with the taxi ride to your hotel. We're sure you won’t regret getting one!

Private Transfer via Klook

You can also look for private transport on Klook. Rates start at $21 (1,290 PHP) for a 4-seater car. It’s a good choice if you’re after comfort and convenience right after landing, because your ride will be ready and waiting as soon as you arrive.

Coupon Taxi

Coupon taxis are white with blue and yellow labels on each side of the car. The fares for coupon taxis are fixed, depending on which area your destination belongs to.

If you prefer this kind of taxi, just approach the coupon taxi counter at Manila Airport. Tell them where you want to be dropped off, and the staff will hand you a slip with the quoted price. Another member of the staff will guide you to the taxi.

Make sure to keep your coupon for the entire journey and hand it to the driver only upon arrival at your destination.

Note that coupon taxis are only available from Manila Airport. Coupon taxis do not pick up passengers on the way back to the airport.

Destination	Fixed Costs
Manila	$7.20 - $11 (440 - 670 PHP)
Makati	$5.40 - $7.20 (330 - 440 PHP)
Taguig	$5.40 - $8.60 (330 - 530 PHP)
Pasay	$2.40 - $7.20 (150 - 440 PHP)
Parañaque	$2.40 - $7.20 (150 - 440 PHP)

 

Metered Airport Taxis

These are yellow taxis that are operated by the airport. They have a flag down rate of $1.10 (70 PHP), which makes them more expensive than regular taxis. Yellow metered taxi fares to areas in Metro Manila start from $6.50 (400 PHP), but it still depends on your destination and the traffic.

Yellow taxis heading back to the airport can be hailed from the streets.

Metered Regular Taxis

Regular metered taxis are the most affordable among all the taxis available at Manila Airport. The flag down rate is $0.80 (50 PHP). Fares going to Metro Manila cities start from $4.90 (300 PHP), depending on the traffic and your destination.

Regular metered taxis aren’t officially part of the airport service, so make sure the meter’s on to avoid paying more than you should.

Private Cars via BookAway

For trusted drivers and excellent customer service, you can also book your ride online through BookAway.

This can be a convenient option if you are travelling in large groups. Rates start from $55 (3,350 PHP) for a 5-seater private transfer.