Knowing how to get from Cebu Airport to the city center in a simple and safe way is one of the keys to starting a trip to the Philippines on the right foot. After a long flight and, perhaps, with some jet lag, we don’t want anything too difficult and, of course, we don’t want anyone to rip us off in a place we don’t know well. Therefore, after passing through the city countless times, we wanted to make this guide so you can start your adventure calmly.
Keep reading and find out how to get from Cebu Airport to the city center, to your hotel, the bus stations, or the port, depending on what you plan to do. We’ll talk about times, prices, and those details from traveler to traveler that make life easier.
Where is Cebu Airport
Mactan–Cebu International Airport is not actually located on the island of Cebu, but on neighboring Mactan. Still, you’ll barely notice it, since they are connected by a couple of bridges and are very close. The airport is roughly 15 kilometers from downtown Cebu City.
It has 2 terminals: a domestic one (T1) and an international one (T2). The latter was inaugurated in 2019, so it is one of the most modern and best equipped in the Philippines.
As with Manila, you can’t pinpoint one specific place as Cebu’s city center. Depending on what you’re going to do, you might prefer to stay in one area or another, or perhaps you want to go straight to one of the bus stations or the port to discover other destinations.
We could summarize it as follows:
- Ayala Mall area: it’s a convenient place to stay, since you have this modern mall nearby to do some shopping and go out for dinner. You also have good exchange houses and, heads up, the only ATM in Cebu that doesn’t charge a fee. We talk more about it in Money in the Philippines. The bus terminals are relatively close. – Recommended hotel: Hop Inn Hotel Cebu City.
- Historic center area: here you have most of the places we recommend in our article Things to do in Cebu. The port from which boats leave for Bohol and Surigao, among other destinations, is also nearby. – Recommended hotel: HappyNest Hostel Cebu.
- Fuente Osmeña area: relatively close to the South Bus Terminal, from where buses to Moalboal depart. It’s a part of Cebu with lots of shops and restaurants. We usually choose it because it has good‑value hotels, cool cafés, and a great money changer. – Recommended hotel: Cebu Hotel Plus.
- Airport area: if you have another flight the next morning, it’s best to sleep on Mactan Island itself, which has plenty of hotels. – Recommended hotel: Travelbee Airport Inn.
You can read accommodation recommendations in Where to stay in Cebu.
In this article on how to get from Cebu Airport to the city center, we’re going to focus on these first 3 places, which are, more or less, the same distance from the terminals. Therefore, the information is valid wherever you’re headed.
The best way to get from Cebu Airport to the city center: GRAB
You may already have read some recommendation about GRAB on our site because it’s also one of the apps for traveling in the Philippines that we suggest, but, really, its arrival was a lifesaver.
GRAB is Southeast Asia’s Uber or Cabify. In fact, it bought Uber in 2018, taking over the market and giving a break to those passengers tired of arguing with taxi drivers or waiting in long lines.
In Cebu’s case, the truth is that we don’t always use it because, as we’ll tell you below, white taxis are quite honest and a bit cheaper. Still, when we’re tired or don’t want to spend much cash (you can pay by card with GRAB), we usually turn to this app.
It’s very easy to use. You just have to download the app (here for iOS and here for Android), register, indicate where you are, where you want to go, and request a car. The fare shown when you request it is what you’ll have to pay. It’s completely fixed and you don’t need to worry. That’s why it’s a safe way to get from Cebu Airport to the city center without being scammed.
By the way, you can also order food delivery in the GRAB app from lots of restaurants in Cebu. We’ve used it many times when we don’t feel like leaving the hotel.
How much does a GRAB car from Cebu Airport to the city center cost?
The price of a ride from Cebu Airport to the city center (Ayala area or historic center) is usually under 300 pesos.
In the app you can choose between paying the driver in cash or paying by card. For the card, we recommend adding one that doesn’t charge a fee for payments in foreign currency. In Best card for traveling to the Philippines you can check the ones we use.
Fares take into account the route you’ll take and the demand for cars. So, if it’s rush hour and everyone is desperately looking for transport, prices go up. You can also choose the type of vehicle. The cheapest is GRABCar, a regular vehicle for up to 4 passengers. Then you have larger and more luxurious ones, which are more expensive. In the app you can also request a GRABTaxi, which will charge the meter fare + a fee for ordering it through GRAB.
We recommend downloading the app before arriving in the Philippines, since you’ll need to receive an SMS on your phone to confirm registration. Still, you can also do it once you’re here. You can use the airport’s Wi‑Fi or, as we explain in Internet in the Philippines, buy a Philippine SIM card at the airport itself.
In T1 the pickup area is to the right as you exit the terminal; there’s usually a GRAB sign indicating it, next to the taxis. In T2, it’s to the left, past all the SIM card stalls.
The duration of the journey from Cebu Airport to your hotel will depend on the area it’s in and the traffic. If you’re staying around the Ayala Mall or the historic center, figure between 45 minutes and 1 hour.
Angkas, Joyride or Maxim: an alternative to get from the airport to the center similar to GRAB
If you’re traveling solo and not carrying much luggage, you can save a bit by downloading the Angkas, Joyride, or Maxim apps. These connect motorcycle drivers with passengers, i.e., you’ll ride as a pillion. This mode of transport is very common in Asia and in the Philippines, where it’s known as habal‑habal.
Prices are really cheap—it can cost around 100 pesos—but, of course, keep in mind that you won’t be able to carry much luggage since it’s a motorbike. In addition, it’s quite common for them to run promos for the first trip, so it can turn out super cheap.
How to get from Cebu Airport to the city center by taxi
Another way to get from the airport to downtown Cebu is to take a taxi. Unlike what happens in Manila, taxis work well here and almost never try to trick you, so it’s an alternative we often use. There are several types of taxi, so here we tell you the options and their pros and cons.
⚠️ IMPORTANT: as in any other airport, please don’t trust anyone who comes up offering transport from Cebu Airport to the city center. These are usually not official vehicles and prices tend to be much higher.
White taxis
The white taxi are the regular taxis that run through Cebu’s streets. Like any taxi in the world, they have a taximeter that shows the fare you have to pay. It starts at 40 pesos and increases according to waiting time and distance traveled. There are no extra charges for luggage or other services.
The fares for these taxis are usually slightly lower than GRAB’s. A ride to Ayala Mall is around 250 pesos, although it also depends on traffic. The journey, as with Grab, can take about 45 minutes.
From our experience and that of many other travelers, we can strongly recommend using white taxis to get from Cebu Airport to your hotel. Unlike in Manila, it’s rare for them to try to scam you or refuse to turn on the meter. Plus, the line to wait for one is much shorter.
Therefore, it’s a great option. Still, if you feel safer, with GRAB you have the option of always knowing who the driver is and, in addition, you’ll be able to pay by card.
If you’re going to sleep in Mactan (near the airport), it’s best to take a taxi.
To get one, you just have to follow the airport signs. You can’t miss them. It’s common for there to be an attendant who gives you a slip with the car’s plate or license number so that, if you have any problem, you can identify the vehicle.
Yellow taxis
These are the airport’s official taxis and are regulated by it. The cars are usually newer, although the service is very similar. We never choose them basically because they are more expensive and taking white taxis is totally feasible.
Yellow taxi fares start at 70 pesos. To go to the center, figure around 400–600 pesos.
The queue for these taxis is right next to the one for the white taxis. There’s almost always an attendant who will give you a slip with the driver’s plate or license number.
Transfers from Cebu Airport to your hotel
For greater convenience, if you want someone to be waiting for you with a little sign with your name in the Arrivals area, you can also book a transfer to your hotel. You can do it through Civitatis and Klook, both totally trustworthy:
Book your transfer from Cebu Airport to your hotel with Civitatis
Book your transfer from Cebu Airport to your hotel with KLOOK
How to get from Cebu Airport to the city center by public transport
If you’re traveling solo and want to save, you also have the option of getting from Cebu Airport to the city center by public transport. There are no trains or metro, so you’ll have to stick to buses and jeepneys.
MyBus buses
The company MyBus has buses that leave the airport bound for SM City Cebu. This is one of the city’s big malls and, from there, you’ll be able to connect with other buses, jeepneys, multicabs, or taxis.
| MyBus bus stops |
| Cebu Airport T1-T2 |
| Island Central Mall/Island Souvenirs |
| Plaridel St. Maayo Medican Center |
| City Times Square/Big Hotel |
| Mantawi Int’l Drive (across Chong Hua Hospital) |
| Mantawi Int’l Drive (MO2 Restobar) |
| SM City Cebu |
|
North Bus Terminal (bus transfer) |
MyBus buses operate from 7:00 to 22:00 every day, departing roughly every 20 minutes. The journey to SM City can take up to 1 hour, depending on traffic.
You can see all routes and updated timetables on their Facebook page.
Particularly interesting is the route from SM City Cebu to the port, since many travelers want to go straight to Bohol. We detail this route in How to get from Cebu Airport to Panglao (Bohol).
The fare depends on the journey. It ranges from 25 pesos to 50 pesos. On most buses you can’t pay in cash; instead, you need to buy a card that you top up at MyBus counters. This usually costs 200 pesos and comes with 100 pesos preloaded. The money expires after 2 years.
For your reference and calculations, a taxi from SM City to the Ayala area costs about 80 pesos, or 100 if you go via Fuente Osmeña.
The stop is in the same area as the taxis. Follow the “Taxi & Bus Bay” signs. They go to both T1 and T2.
©MyBus
Jeepneys or multicabs
As we explain in How to get around the Philippines, one of the icons of transport are the jeepneys and multicabs (the smaller version of the jeepney). If you want to save and aren’t carrying much luggage, they’re good alternatives.
The multicab on route MI-05A (yellow) goes to several places in Cebu City, where you can connect with others to your final destination. The most common stop is Marina Mall, although if you’re going to Ayala Mall, it’s best to ask the driver if he’s going toward Mandaue Coliseum. You’ll want to get off there and then take the 20A Mandaue–Ayala.
Multicabs operate 24 hours and ticket prices are around 10 pesos.
You can find a map with the routes here.
Multicab or taxi + boat
If you’re thinking of taking a boat from Cebu or you’re staying near the port and it’s rush hour, a good alternative to save some money and time is to take a taxi or a multicab to the Opon wharf (in Mactan—we’ve marked the location on the map above) and, once there, take one of the boats that go to Cebu’s pier 3.
The crossing takes 20 minutes and the ticket costs 35 pesos. They run from 6:00 to 18:00 every 30 minutes.
You can check more information on the ferry company’s Facebook page: Topline Express Ferries.
How to get from Cebu city center to the airport
If your case is the opposite—i.e., you’re in Cebu and want to get to the airport—you just have to choose the option that suits you best from the above and do it the other way around. In our case, we almost always opt to use GRAB, since it seems much more convenient than flagging down any white taxi and, of course, much more than taking a multicab or combining buses.
Depending on where you are, you’ll pay more or less, but usually, if you’re staying around the Ayala Mall area, you won’t pay more than 300 pesos when there’s little traffic. Don’t plan on less than an hour for the journey because, if the city is congested, it can take quite a while. We always try to leave at least 3 hours before the scheduled departure of the flight, even more if you plan to go by bus or multicab.
Remember to tell the driver if you have a domestic or international flight, so that they drop you at the corresponding terminal.
An inexpensive alternative is to take a taxi to SM Cebu City and from there take one of the MyBus buses, which leave every 20 minutes.
We hope this information on how to get from Cebu Airport to the city center has been useful to you. We’ve tried to explain it as clearly as possible because we know that arriving in a new country or city without much idea can feel a bit daunting. You can find lots of information about the city in our Cebu Guide.
If you still have any questions or want to tell us something, we’d love to hear from you in the comments.
