Tickets on West Delta run under 200 EGP for many routes
West Delta Bus runs intercity coaches from Cairo Airport’s public road outside Terminals 1, 2, and 3, connecting to Alexandria and several Nile Delta cities. Coaches are standard long‑distance buses with AC and fixed seats, not local minibuses. You buy tickets in Egyptian pounds, and most routes price under 200–300 EGP one way as of recent reports, undercutting airport taxis by a big margin for longer trips.
Buses do not pick up inside the terminal buildings; expect to walk 5–10 minutes to roadside stops outside T1, T2, or T3 depending on which terminal you exit. There’s no stop at the Seasonal terminal, so passengers there first shuttle or taxi over to one of the main terminals. Signage can be thin, so plan a few extra minutes to find the correct West Delta stand or ask airport staff to point you toward the Alexandria or Delta coaches.
Coach timings vary by route, but West Delta typically runs several departures per day toward big hubs like Alexandria and Tanta, with some routes spacing at 1–3 hour gaps. Late‑night options thin out after around 23:00, so if you land on a 01:00 arrival into Terminal 2, don’t count on catching a bus without checking the exact timetable first. Travel time to Alexandria usually runs 3–4 hours from the airport area, longer in heavy ring‑road traffic.
You pay at a small kiosk or counter near the boarding point, or directly to a staff member before boarding; recent travelers report being quoted fixed prices in the 150–250 EGP range to major Delta cities. Cash is king here, and smaller bills (20, 50, 100 EGP) speed things up. Card acceptance is inconsistent, and foreign currency like USD or EUR tends to be refused or converted at a poor, informal rate, so hit an ATM in the arrivals hall first.
Seats on West Delta are first‑come, first‑served within the coach, with no assigned numbers printed on most tickets, so boarding early at the stop outside T1, T2, or T3 helps if you want a window. Luggage rides in the underfloor bays; keep valuables in a small backpack with you in the cabin. Coaches have basic AC and overhead vents, but don’t count on onboard toilets or Wi‑Fi.
Practical tip: before you clear customs at Cairo Terminal 3 or 2, buy a local SIM or grab airport Wi‑Fi and screenshot the West Delta timetable and destination in Arabic; showing “الإسكندرية” or your city name on your phone makes finding the right bus stand and confirming the fare much faster.