Booking choice: The Giza pyramids entry ticket, Valid 1 day. Book this Tour details
For decades the pyramids had one main way in: up the hill from the Mena House hotel, with tour buses, taxis, camels and horses sharing the same road. That changed on 8 April 2025. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the operator Orascom Pyramids Entertainment opened a new entrance south of the pyramids, banned private cars and tour buses from the plateau, and put visitors on electric shuttles.
The first days were rough. Eighteen months on, the system is part of every visit, and the shuttle comes with the ticket. Below: where the gate is, how the buses run, what changed for tours and for the camel handlers, and what Orascom plans next. If you are going on your own, the QR entry ticket covers the gate and the shuttle.
The quick answer
The main entrance is now the visitor centre on the Cairo-Fayoum road, south of the pyramids. Private cars and tour buses stop there; electric shuttle buses, included in the plateau ticket, run a hop-on, hop-off loop to the pyramids, the panorama point and the Sphinx. The Sphinx gate on the east side still works as a second entrance. Tickets are paid by card, not cash.
Where is the new entrance to the Giza pyramids?
On the Cairo-Fayoum road, south of the pyramids, at a new visitor centre. It replaced the old entrance near the Mena House hotel as the main gate in April 2025.
Ahram Online described the visitor centre as an introduction to the site, with the history of the three royal pyramids and the Sphinx, replicas of tools thought to have been used to build them, and a collection of memorabilia. The plan includes parking for more than 1,200 vehicles. Two self-service ticket machines were installed at the gate, next to food and drink outlets, shops, cash machines, shaded seating and an information office.The Sphinx gate, on the east side by the Valley Temple, still works as an entrance, with a smaller ticket counter. If you arrive there, buy your ticket online first. Either way, the plateau ticket is single entry: if you leave, you pay again to come back.
| What | Visitor centre gate | Sphinx gate |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Cairo-Fayoum road, south of the pyramids | East side, by the Sphinx and the Valley Temple |
| Ticket sales | Ticket desks and self-service machines, card only | Smaller counter; buy online first |
| Shuttle | Start and end of the loop | Sphinx stop nearby |
How do the electric shuttle buses work?
They run a hop-on, hop-off loop from the visitor centre to the pyramids, the panorama point and the Sphinx. The ride is included with the plateau ticket.
Orascom launched the service with more than 45 buses, according to Ahram Online, which reported buses every three minutes on seven stations; Euronews quoted the operator at about every five minutes. Stops named in reports include the Visitor Centre, the Panorama, Menkaure, Khafre, Khufu and the Sphinx, plus the Equestrian Zone for the animal handlers. Some 2026 guides list nine stops. The buses are the way around: the distances between the monuments are long, and the panorama point is far out in the desert.Guests on the QR ticket like the system. One wrote: "The free green bus was an excellent way to get around the complex." Another said the buses were "wonderful, with air conditioning." A third gave the best practical advice: screenshot your ticket, because the phone signal is poor. Queues form at the busier stops in the late morning, so travel early or be ready to walk a stretch.
Can tour buses and private cars still drive onto the plateau?
No. Private cars and tour buses stop at the visitor centre, and visitors and their guides continue by shuttle. Exceptions for large groups and visitors with limited mobility have to be arranged in advance.
The rule took effect on day one, as Ahram Online reported on 9 April 2025: electric vehicles carry visitors and their guides around the site. Orascom also agreed to let tour companies run their own electric buses on the plateau. Large groups and visitors with limited mobility can get exceptions, but sources disagree on the size of group that qualifies, so ask your operator rather than rely on a number.For a guided tour, this changes the shape of the day more than its length. Your driver drops you at the visitor centre, your guide rides the shuttle with you, and the bus takes the place of the old drive between photo stops. Tours with hotel pickup in Cairo or Giza, such as the pyramids and museum day and the half-day tour, handle the gate for you. On the plateau, everyone uses the same buses.
A QR code for the plateau gate, valid one day, with the shuttle buses included. No guide, no transport: the day runs at your pace.
Book this Tour detailsWhat went wrong at the start, and what has changed since?
The first days brought protests by camel and horse owners, too few buses and long waits in the heat. The minister ordered more buses, and in July 2026 Orascom announced extra funding for 30 new multi-stop electric buses.
On the trial day, 8 April 2025, horse and camel owners blocked buses on the new road in protest at being moved, and visitors posted about long waits for too few vehicles (Egyptian Streets). The ministry counted 12,000 visitors that day, about 120 percent above the daily average. Minister Sherif Fathy asked for more 50-seat electric buses and allowed extra diesel buses until the electric fleet was complete (Ahram Online).The 2026 news is about growth. On 12 July 2026 Egypt Independent reported that Orascom is increasing its investment at Giza, including a fleet of 30 multi-stop electric buses and a lightweight outdoor arena for up to 15,000 people. Both are plans, not finished work. Orascom also leases sites on the plateau for concerts and other events. The ticket money goes to the government, the same report says.
| When | What changed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 8 April 2025 | New entrance opens; cars and tour buses barred; electric shuttles start | Ahram Online |
| April 2025 | Over 45 buses on seven stations; extra buses ordered after complaints | Ahram Online |
| April 2025 | Camel and horse handlers moved to an Equestrian Zone | Ahram Online |
| 12 July 2026 | Orascom plans 30 more multi-stop electric buses and an outdoor arena | Egypt Independent |
Where are the camels and horses now?
In a designated riding area, the Equestrian Zone, which has its own shuttle stop. A full ban on rides has not been confirmed. Quads and camels are not allowed in the monument area itself.
The 2025 project moved animal handlers out of the monument area to designated zones. Ahram reported the Equestrian Zone as one of the shuttle stations. Reports of a complete ban on camel and horse rides at Giza have circulated in 2026, but no official confirmation has followed. What changed is where rides happen, and the handlers' livelihoods were at the heart of the April 2025 protests. A parliamentary committee also recommended standard pricing and penalties.If you want a ride, agree the price and the return point in writing before you get on. The old tricks still happen: a man in a uniform saying a path is closed and steering you to a stable, or a ride that costs more to get off than to get on. Some tours handle the ride for you; the private tour includes a 10 or 30 minute camel ride, depending on the option. For speed instead of a camel, the quad bike safari runs in the desert beside the pyramids, and its listing says plainly that quads and camels are forbidden inside the monument area.
About an hour on a quad bike in the desert beside the pyramids, with hotel pickup and an optional camel ride.
Book thisHow should you plan your visit with the new system?
Buy the ticket online or bring a card, screenshot the QR code, arrive soon after opening, and ride the shuttle to the farthest stop first.
Ticket desks have been cashless since 2 June 2023 (Egyptian Streets), so carry a Visa or Mastercard, and a second card in case one fails. The plateau opens early in the morning, 7 am in most 2026 guides; check egymonuments.gov.eg for current hours. Coach groups tend to arrive from about 9:30, and the shuttle stops get busy after that.Our pick for a self-guided morning: take the shuttle out to the panorama point while the light is soft, then work back towards the Sphinx. If you want to go inside a pyramid, buy that ticket at the gate first, since numbers are limited. The Grand Egyptian Museum is about 2 km away and needs its own timed ticket from tickets.gem.eg. Interiors rotate too: our post on the Menkaure closure has the current state, and the tickets guide covers each ticket type.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the new entrance to the pyramids of Giza?
At the visitor centre on the Cairo-Fayoum road, south of the pyramids. It opened on 8 April 2025 and replaced the old entrance near the Mena House hotel as the main gate. The Sphinx gate on the east side still works.
Are the shuttle buses at the pyramids free?
They are included in the plateau ticket. The electric buses run a hop-on, hop-off loop from the visitor centre to the pyramids, the panorama point and the Sphinx.
Can I drive my car to the pyramids?
To the visitor centre, yes. Private cars and tour buses are not allowed onto the plateau. Exceptions for large groups and visitors with limited mobility have to be arranged in advance.
Can I pay cash for pyramid tickets?
No. Ticket desks at Giza stopped taking cash on 2 June 2023. Pay by card at the gate or the self-service machines, or buy online in advance.
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Giza Pyramids QR Code Entry Ticket
A QR code for the plateau gate and the shuttle buses, and the day is yours
Half-Day Tour to the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx
- Pickup and drop-off at your Cairo or Giza hotel
- An Egyptologist guide and an air-conditioned vehicle
- The Great Pyramid, the Sphinx and the Valley Temple of Khafre
Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyramids & Sphinx Tour with Lunch
- Pickup and drop-off at your Cairo or Giza hotel
- An Egyptologist guide and an air-conditioned vehicle
- Entry tickets to the pyramids and Sphinx area and to the Grand Egyptian Museum
