How to get from Manila Airport to City Center And Makati – All Possible Ways

Last updated on March 6th, 2023 at 09:45 pm

How to get from Manila Airport to City And Makati – You can go by bus, taxi, Grab and private transfer. The distance from Manila airport to city center is around 13 kilometers. Click here for discounts and book more activities in Manila

What Is The Best Way From Manila Airport To City Center?

The best way from Manila airport to city center is by Grab, but you can also choose a taxi or local transportation. The Grab travel time from Manila airport to downtown is around 20 minutes depending on the traffic.

What Is The Cheapest Way From Manila Airport To City Center?

The cheapest way from Manila airport to city center is by bus for less than $1 USD. There are local buses going from Manila airport to city center and later you can transfer to a jeepney until your final destination. The bus travel time from Manila airport to downtown is around 45 minutes.

You can get a private transfer that can be cheaper than a taxi if traveling in a group.

Read here how to get from Manila airport to Clark, where to stay in Manila and best hostels in Manila and resorts near Manila

SIM CARD AT MANILA AIRPORT

I wouldn’t recommend you to buy a sim card at Manila airport. If you wish comfort you can buy eSim online and if you aren’t in a hurry just go around phone shops in the city and compare prices to buy the cheapest sim card in Manila. Read here Philippines sim card for tourist and best Philippines eSim

You can find the cheapest Filipino eSim with Airalo Philippines eSim prepaid for $4 USD with 1 GB data valid for 7 days (USING DISCOUNT CODE GAMINTRAVELER 10%). For $9 USD with 3 GB data, for $13 USD with 5 GB data, for $21 USD with 10 GB data and for $32 USD with 20 GB data valid for 30 days.

Nomad eSim Philippines for $5 USD with 1 GB data valid for 7 days. For $10 USD with 2 GB data, For $13 USD with 3 GB data and for $15 USD with 5 GB data valid for 30 days. MTX Connect eSim Philippines for €24 with 4 GB data valid for 14 days. Holafly Philippines eSim for $44 USD if you use our code GAMINTRAVELER coming with 8 GB data valid for 30 days and you can activate with QR Code.

WHERE TO STAY IN THE PHILIPPINES

You can get accommodation starting from 800-1000 PHP (less than $20 USD) for a room in a guesthouse. Can you imagen if you are two of you traveling in the Philippines, it will be $10 USD each.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION WITH BOOKING AND AGODA!

BOOK YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE

You can read Heymondo Vs Safetwing cheapest travel Insurance. You can get for $135 USD your Heymondo Travel Insurance with Heymondo discount code valid for 90 days. Read our full Heymondo Travel Insurance Review

You can get Safetywing Travel Insurance for Digital Nomads valid for 28 days Safetywing for $50 USD per month with kids until 10 years old included

How To Get From Manila Airport to Downtown

If you want to get from Manila Airport to city center the distance is 10 kilometers to get to Intramuros. If you want to get from Manila Airport to Makati is 6 kilometers.

There are 4 Terminals at Manila Airport. Terminal 1 is for International Flights. Terminal 2 is for Philippine Airlines (also operating in the other Terminals). Terminal 3 is mostly for Cebu Pacific, Air Asia, Philippine Airlines and more companies for International flights. And Terminal 4 is for Domestic flights with Air Asia and Cebu Pacific having most of them.

How to get from Manila Airport to City Center And Makati by Grab (Best Way)

The best way from Manila airport to downtown and Makati by Grab. Since the app will give you the final price you will avoid fighting with the taxi drivers to turn on the taximeter and giving a real price. There is Wifi in the airport or you can also get a sim card. Read our full blog post to buy the best Filipino sim card for tourist.

The travel time from Manila Airport to Makati is 15-20 minutes and it can be 2-3 times more if there is traffic. You never know in Manila with the traffic. The price by Grab from Manila airport to Makati would be around $5 USD.

If you are going by Grab from Manila airport to city center the price will be around $7 USD and it will take around 1 hour to get there and even more if there is traffic.

Taxi Manila Airport to City And Makati

Taxi Manila Airport to city center will cost you around $7 USD. The tai travel time from Manila airport to downtown is around 15-20 minutes journey if there is no traffic. If not it could be 2-3 times more time with traffic.

White Taxis

The cheapest taxi are the white ones (you will find them outside the airport) but you have to ask them to turn on the taximeter to have a fair price.

Coupon Taxis

Coupon taxi is white color and you will buy a coupon base in the zone that you are going. They are expensive and it can cost 500 PHP to get to Makati and 600 PHP to get to city center in Intramuros but you can trust them.

Yellow Taxis

Yellow taxis you will see them in the queue of the airport and prices are little bit higher than white taxis. Just tell them to turn on the taximeter and expect to pay around 300 PHP going to Makati area.

Bus from Manila Airport to Makati And City Center (Cheapest Way)

The cheapest way from Manila airport to city center is by bus. You will have to walk outside the airport to the bus stop. The bus fare from Manila airport to city center is less than $1 USD and you can transfer to local jeepneys to your final destination.

It looks difficult but once you are in the airport just ask locals for your destination and they will inform you which bus and jeepney you should take. Everyone speak English and it will be easy!

P2P Genesis From Manila Airport To Makati

If you want to get a bus from Manila Airport to city center and Makati. It will be a great option if you are traveling alone. They are usually leaving every 30 minutes and the price is around 150 PHP. If you are going to Clark with the Bus P2P Genesis service the price is 350 (with no toilet)-400 PHP (toilet). Stopping in Trinoma, Robinsons and Resorts World Manila.

Ube Express From Makati Airport To City Center

Ube Express route will be going to Makati and Robinsons if you are going from Manila airport to city center in Intramuros. It’s fixed price and you will pay 150 PHP.

The Bus are operating 24 hours from Terminal 3 but Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 buses are operating from 8 am to 10 pm. If not you can always get a local bus which is cheaper and they stop every hour outside the airport. It can costs around 50 PHP going from Manila Airport to Cubao area and the travel time will be more than an hour.

Conclusion: Taxi, Grab or Bus from Manila Airport to City

Which option would you choose from Manila airport to city center? Bus, taxi or Grab? For us the best option is Grab especially if you travel with 2 people will be cheapest than each person paying the bus ticket.

If you are traveling alone and on a budget the local bus for less than $1 USD can be a great option if you aren’t bringing so much luggage will be ok for you.

Taxi is also a great option little bit more expensive than Grab. But if you aren’t able to get internet with your phone they will bring you to your accommodation in Manila for affordable price. especially good if you have so much luggage or traveling with a few people.

CASH AND ATMS IN THE PHILIPPINES

There are exchange offices and ATMs almost everywhere. The exchange rate is $1 USD=50 PHP. And the fees in the ATM are 200PHP per withdrawal and the limit is 10 000 PHP for withdrawals. Click here to know the exchange rate!

Best time to visit Manila

Philippines has only 2 seasons- wet and dry season. You should be prepared with the weather in Manila because it is hot and humid during the months of March to May, and can extend up to June!

The wet season starts from June to November and rainy season can start as early as May.We recommend that you visit Manila during the month of January, as the weather is expected to be the coldest of the year plus you won’t compete with the locals during December’s holiday rush.

Click here for updates on accurate weather in Manila.

VISIT MAKATI AREA

Being one of the richest and urbanized cities in Metro Manila, Makati is one of the cities you should not miss visiting! It’s easily accessible plus there are a lot of things to do here. Even just walking around the streets is bearable because it is known to be safer than its nearby cities, but food and accommodation can be a little bit more expensive too.

Some places you should visit in Makati City are its malls like the 4 malls in Ayala Area which are Greenbelt, Landmark, Glorietta, and SM. These 4 malls are connected with each other, meaning you can go easily to the next mall from the other. This also means you should bring a lot of money if you love shopping, like Rachel! Various restaurants and coffee shops are here, as well as cinemas if you prefer watching movies.

And every late November to early January, there’s a Dancing Lights Show every night at the Ayala Triangle, which is just a few minutes walking distance away from Greenbelt mall. The show plays at around 6PM to 10PM and it plays with a 30-minute interval per show. Locals and people from other places visit Makati, specifically Ayala Triangle for this wonderful lights and sound show! And guess what, it’s absolutely free!

VISIT INTRAMUROS

Take a glimpse back to the days of the colonized Philippines by visiting Fort Santiago, a part of a crumbling walled city of Intramuros. This place seriously givesIntramuros will give you the vibes of Spanish colonization era in Manila.

There are calesas available you can choose to roam the place with a friendly-horse-drawn-rig for around 20 USD. It is easily noticeable that the structures are heavily Spanish inspired- they’re beautiful. You should seriously visit Fort Santiago when visiting Manila.

Where to Stay in Manila

HOTEL I’M

It’s located in Makati and Hotel I’M is very modern just 2 years old. We recommend you Hotel I’M as best place for relaxing while staying in Manila. Since the pool area which is quiet and beautiful, to the gym. The food at The Common Good Restaurant is so delicious and you will find all the options as buffet for breakfast and dinner. Western choices and also Asian choices.

Our favorite part of the hotel? Onsen Spa is the best Spa in Manila. We enjoyed our massage in the couple room. Before the massage we enjoyed our lemon and pepper tea and we had an hour for our private jacuzzi and sauna.

So when the massage is coming you are already totally relaxed. Everybody knows how busy can be Manila for the traffic, so we consider is the best way to spend your day in Manila. And after the massage you can enjoy a buffet dinner to end your day in the best way.

Apart from the restaurant and the Onsen Spa, there is more that I’M Hotel can offer. In the rooftop you can have an amazing view and sunset. The bar Antidote will offer you the best cocktails and you can see an amazing jellyfish aquarium with lights. The only bar in the Philippines where you can see this!

Click here to book your staying at I’M Hotel!

Click here for discounts and book more activities in Manila and click here to get your discount booking at Manila Ocean Park!

Feel free to use our links for discounts. Using our links will help us to continue with the maintenance of the website and it will not cost you anything. Thanks for the love guys 

Happy Travels!