The best option to get from Manila Airport to anywhere around the area is to take a taxi under the well-known Grab brand operating in many countries in Asia.
There are also three types of official taxis. How not to get ripped off by dishonest taxi drivers and how to spot scam?
There are also special airport bus routes to Manila, which are the cheapest but least transparent form of transport.
Grab Taxi
This method is the best choice if you want to know the price in advance. When travelling with Grab, you practically can't get cheated or robbed. You always pay the price you see on the app.
While this is a mobile app for which internet is normally required (buy a Philippine e-sim through airalo.com), but in the case of Manila airport, you'll also find kiosks with the green Grab logo in front of all terminals, where the attendant will call the car for you and you'll pay the predetermined price in cash.
However, the fare through the app is lower than if you order Grab from an attendant.
To downtown Manila, you'll pay roughly the following prices.
- Grab via app - 280 php – 380 php
- Grab booked through an attendant - 490 php
Prices are dynamic and change based on current demand.
Metered Taxi (Yellow)
Yellow taxis are the most reliable form of transportation after Grab.
They always stand in front of the booth that says "Metered Taxi" where you order your taxi. You'll be given a paper slip to get into the car.
Never get in the car without a paper ticket.
Yellow metered taxis are more expensive than white taxis, but the cars are in better condition and you will encounter significantly fewer scams.
Yellow cab fares are as follows:
- 75 php - boarding rate
- 4 php - every 300 metres travelled
- 4 php - every 2 minutes of standing (in traffic, at traffic lights, etc.)
The price to downtown Manila, depending on the current traffic, will cost about 380 php – 480 php.
Payable to the driver in cash at the end of the journey.
Regular Taxi (White)
The cheapest taxis are the white cars that wait in front of stands marked with signs "Regular Taxi".
Here too, however, you fill out a paper with your details and destination before boarding with the attendant (often just sitting on a chair by the curb, but always by an official sign), which you hand to the taxi driver.
White cabs must also drive according to the meter. There is no such thing as a "flat-fare", as many rogue drivers may tell you.
If the taxi driver refuses to turn on the meter or tells you that there are flat fares from the airport for white cabs, get out immediately and call Grab or get in line at metered.
It is with white cabs that you will most often encounter scams, with prices often offered in excess of 1,500 pesos.
The official prices for white cabs are as follows:
- 45 php - boarding rate
- 13,50 php - every 1 kilometre travelled
- 2 php - every 1 minute of travel
The price to downtown Manila, depending on the current traffic, will cost about 270 php – 400 php.
Payable to the driver in cash at the end of the journey.
Coupon Taxi
These taxis are convenient for larger groups of people as they usually run with 8 seater vans.
They are the only ones that have fixed prices and do not run by meter. Payment is always made at the booth outside the taxi stand to the attendant. You don't pay anything to the driver anymore.
The price to downtown Manila is around 550 php depending on the specific destination. You will always be told the exact amount by the attendant before boarding the car.
Most common scams at Manila Airport
If you always check in at the official booth before boarding the taxi and then insist on turning on the meter, or if you use the Grab mobile app, you'll probably be spared from scams.
But let's recap the most common taxi scams at Manila Airport for clarity.
Fake taxis
You may be approached by a "taxi driver" while still in the terminal who offers you a "bargain" fixed price.
Even if he or she shows an official airport or government badge, never talk to such people. Airport, government or ministry employees have nothing to do with taxis.
Official taxis can only be booked at a booth at an appropriately marked location.
Fixed price
Apart from the large Coupon taxis always parked under official signs, no other taxis are allowed to offer a fixed price to/from Manila Airport.
If someone approaches you with a fixed price offer, it will always be multiples of the normal price. Again, ignore such people completely and continue on to the yellow cab or Grab cab stands.
A broken down car
You have done everything right, registered at the official stand and got into the taxi with the meter on, but as soon as you leave the area around the airport, the car breaks down.
Suspiciously quickly, another official taxi appears and offers you a bargain "rescue" price to your destination.
Say thank you, decline and summon Grab via the mobile app.
This type of scam is not very common anymore, but it does occasionally occur with white cabs.
Longer journey
A trick known in many parts of the world artificially inflates the price by having the driver deliberately take a longer route.
This scam happens more often with white taxis and rarely with yellow taxis or the Grab app.
Ideally, make sure you check with the taxi driver before the ride where you're actually going with a route map displayed on your mobile so that the driver knows you're tracking your location by GPS.
Buses
While not many tourists use public transport, if you're travelling alone or at most as a couple, taking the bus will save you money.
However, the ticket prices for airport buses are still quite high and many times the normal public transport prices in the Philippines.
Ube Express
Until 2020, the Ube Express ran on many of the busiest routes into downtown Manila.
Currently, however, buses run from the airport mainly to Robinsons' large shopping malls.
The busiest route (once every 60 minutes) goes to the city of Santa Rosa south of Manila. A ticket costs 300 php.
Official information can be found on the website ubeexpress.com (for up-to-date information, see especially the Facebook profile).
There are currently no buses in the direction of downtown Manila, but you can use the frequent routes to the nearby local bus terminals.
- NAIA Loop 18 - the line stops at all terminals and runs to the large PITX bus station.
- Price - 150 php
- Frequency - 60 to 120 minutes
- Ridership - 20 to 30 minutes
- Hours of Operation - 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Victory Liner Route - The line runs to the Victory Liner long distance bus station.
- Price - 150 php
- Frequency - 20 to 30 minutes
- Riding Time - 15 to 20 minutes
- Hours of Operation - 4:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
You can pay for your tickets at the driver's desk by card or cash.
Genesis to Clark Airport
A direct bus service runs between Manila NAIA and Clark CRK Airport.
The service is operated by Genesis Bus. Details can be found on the website: genesisjoybus.com/schedules.
- Price. 450 php
- Frequency - 60 to 120 minutes
- Duration - 120 minutes
- Operating hours - 0:00 to 20:30
Car rental
If you're venturing into the lively Philippine traffic, renting a car will be a great option for exploring the rural areas of Luzon, the Philippines' largest island.
The airport is home to many local and international rental companies. Prices for a week's rental start at 250 usd.