In Luxor, you agree a taxi fare with the driver before you get in. As a guide, a short trip on the East Bank, such as Luxor Temple to Karnak, costs about 50 to 100 EGP, and the East Bank centre to the Valley of the Kings about 200 to 300 EGP one way. The inDrive app is usually cheaper. Tipping is not expected, but it is appreciated.
Reviewed October 2026
How much is a taxi in Luxor?
| Trip | Fair taxi fare |
|---|---|
| Luxor Temple to Karnak Temple | 50 to 100 EGP |
| Luxor railway station to Luxor Temple | 50 to 100 EGP |
| East Bank centre to the Valley of the Kings (one way) | 200 to 300 EGP |
These are fair prices for a street taxi. A driver may open higher, especially at a station or a site entrance, but a fare in this range is reasonable and should not need a long negotiation. Prices change when fuel prices rise, so treat them as a guide rather than a fixed rate.
Waiting time and round trips. The Valley of the Kings fare is one way. If you want the driver to wait and bring you back, or to take you to several West Bank sites, agree a single price for the whole trip before you set off. Be clear about how long they will wait and which stops are included.
The airport is different. Fares to and from Luxor International Airport do not follow these in-town prices, and there may be extra charges for entering the airport. The simplest option is to ask your hotel to arrange a pick-up and confirm the price in advance, or to check the fare on inDrive before you travel.
Why fares are agreed, not metered
For most visitors' trips in Luxor, the fare is agreed with the driver rather than read from a meter. The same trip can be quoted at different prices to different passengers, and the first figure is often a starting point. Because there are plenty of taxis in the centre, a refusal is rarely final: the next car is usually a few steps away.
You may read travel advice telling you to use only metered taxis. That is hard to follow in Luxor: in more than a year living here, we have not come across a taxi that runs a meter. Agreeing the fare before you get in is, in practice, the only option, and the fare table above gives you a fair starting point.
Luxor Governorate does set official fares for shared routes, such as servis (shared minibus) lines and taxi stands, and revises them when fuel prices change. Vehicles on those routes should display the fare, and the governorate gives 114 as its complaints hotline. These official fares cover shared routes, not a private car hired for your own trip.
Ways to get around Luxor
- Street taxis. Easy to find in the East Bank centre, along the Corniche and at the main sites. Agree the fare first.
- inDrive. Of the ride-hailing apps, inDrive is the one that works reliably in Luxor. You see or propose the fare in the app before the trip, and fares are usually lower than street taxis, at around 3 to 4 EGP per minute of driving. You need mobile data, and pick-ups can take longer away from the centre.
- Hotel cars. More expensive, but the price is fixed in advance and the driver knows where you are going. Useful for the airport, early starts and day trips.
- Servis (shared minibuses). Very cheap fixed fares on set routes, used mainly by local people. They are harder to use if you do not know the routes or speak some Arabic.
- The public ferry and private boats. The public ferry crosses between the East Bank and the West Bank through the day. Private motorboats wait along the Corniche; agree the price before you board.
- Horse-drawn carriages (calèches). Common around Luxor Temple and the Corniche. Agree the price, the route and whether it is per carriage before you get in.
Our getting around Luxor guide covers the ferry, boats and crossing between the banks in more detail.
How to agree a fare
Ask your hotel what its guests usually pay for your trip. That figure is not official, but it is the closest thing to a current local rate. When you approach a driver, name your destination and a price, and check that it is for the whole car rather than per person. Once you have agreed, get in and do not reopen the price at the other end.
If language is a barrier, write the destination and the price on your phone and show it. Numbers in Western digits are widely understood. Carry small notes: many drivers do not have change for large notes, and paying the agreed amount exactly avoids an argument at the end. If you only have a large note, ask before you get in whether the driver can change it.
Taxi tricks to watch for
- Per person, not per car. You agree a price, then hear at the end that it was for each passenger. Always confirm it is for the whole car.
- Which currency? A driver who says "fifty" may later claim to mean euros, pounds sterling or dollars. Agree the fare in Egyptian pounds and say "Egyptian" out loud.
- The price goes up halfway. A driver stops and asks for more before continuing. Refuse politely and ask to go to the agreed destination for the agreed price. Paying extra mid-journey rarely ends the request.
- The hard-luck story. At the end of the trip, or to justify a higher price, a driver may tell you that a child is in hospital, that they have a family to feed and no other work, that petrol (benzine) has gone up, or that business is hard. Life is genuinely tough for many people in Luxor, but the story is also a common way to raise the price. Pay what you agreed. If you want to give more, add it as a tip you choose, not as a new fare.
- No change. The driver has no change, so the agreed fare becomes the note you are holding. Carry small notes.
- Unplanned stops. A detour to a shop, a papyrus or alabaster workshop or a relative's business. Say clearly that you want to go straight to your destination.
Our Luxor safety guide covers other common scams and what to do if something goes wrong.
When the usual approach does not work
Fares rise when demand spikes: after a train arrives, when cruise boats dock or on public holidays. If several drivers refuse a fair price, walk a short distance away from the rank to a side street, where a passing car is more likely to accept it, or book on inDrive.
Many drivers know the major sites by their English names, but not smaller places, such as the ferry landing, a particular restaurant or a small hotel, unless it is well known. Some drivers also do not read maps, so showing a pin on your phone may not help. The same applies to inDrive: the app has a map, but that does not mean the driver knows where you are going.
Before you set off, have the name of your destination written in Arabic, or ask your hotel or the place you are going to speak to the driver by phone. If the driver still hesitates, agree a price to a well-known landmark nearby, keep your own map open, and direct them from there.
Taking a taxi alone
Most taxi trips in Luxor are uneventful, but the UK government advises female travellers to take care when travelling alone in taxis, particularly at night. If you take a taxi alone, share the driver's details, your route and your live location with someone you trust. Using inDrive or a hotel car gives you a record of the driver and the trip. Our guide for women travelling solo in Luxor has more practical advice.
Do you tip taxi drivers in Luxor?
Tipping taxi drivers is not required, but it is appreciated, especially if the driver has been helpful or waited for you. A tip of 10 to 20 EGP is generous for a short trip, or you can round the fare up to the nearest 50 EGP. See our money and tipping guide for tipping elsewhere in Luxor.
Fares are typical prices that local people and regular visitors tell us they pay, reviewed October 2026. Sources: UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Egypt safety and security; Egypt Telegraph, Luxor Governorate fare decision no. 220 of 2025 (Arabic); Youm7, Luxor servis tariff, March 2026 (Arabic).
Questions
How much is a taxi from Luxor Temple to Karnak Temple?+
About 50 to 100 EGP for the whole car, agreed before you get in. inDrive is usually cheaper for the same trip.
How much is a taxi to the Valley of the Kings?+
From the East Bank centre, about 200 to 300 EGP one way. If you want the driver to wait or take you to other West Bank sites, agree one price for the whole trip first.
Do taxis in Luxor use a meter?+
In practice, no. Some travel advice says to use only metered taxis, but metered taxis are very hard to find in Luxor. You agree the fare with the driver before the journey, so it helps to know the typical price for your route.
Does Uber work in Luxor?+
Of the ride-hailing apps, inDrive is the one that works reliably in Luxor. You see the fare before the trip, and it is usually lower than a street taxi. You need mobile data to use it.
Should I agree the fare in Egyptian pounds?+
Yes. Agree the fare in Egyptian pounds and say "Egyptian" out loud, so the driver cannot later claim the price was in another currency.
What if the driver asks for more halfway through the trip?+
Refuse politely and ask to go to the agreed destination for the agreed price. The best protection is to agree the destination, the total price and that it is for the whole car before you get in.
Should I hire a taxi for the whole day on the West Bank?+
It can be easier than finding a new taxi at each site. Agree the total price, the stops and the waiting time before you leave, and pay at the end.
Do you tip taxi drivers in Luxor?+
It is not required, but it is appreciated. Give 10 to 20 EGP, or round the fare up to the nearest 50 EGP.
