Quick Puerto Princes Airport taxi facts
-Metered taxi: Around €2.15 (PHP 151) to the city center.
-Private transfer: Welcome Pickups transfer prices start at €21 (PHP 1,491.90) for a sedan seating up to 3 passengers. A minivan seating up to 8 starts at €29 (PHP 2,060.25). Your driver will pick you up at a predetermined meeting point at Puerto Princesa Airport.
-Trip time: The ride takes around 10 minutes to the city center.
-Taxi rank: Located just outside the main exit of the passenger terminal on the ground level.
Official Puerto Princesa Airport taxis cost about €2.15 (PHP 151), and you’ll see them queued up at the rank as you walk out of the main arrivals exit on the ground level. If you’d prefer to have your transport from PPS organized before you get here, you can book a fixed-price private transfer with Welcome Pickups from €21 (PHP 1,491.90). This includes all charges, including luggage fees, with no hidden costs.
While the initial taxi fare may seem low, some drivers at Puerto Princesa Airport may not use the meter and instead offer a set fare, which can be more expensive. To avoid being overcharged, ask the driver to turn on the meter before setting off.
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How much does a taxi cost?
| Taxi prices | Day time (05:00 - 24:00) | Night time (00:00 - 05:00) | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| FROM PUERTO PRINCESA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (PPS) TO PUERTO PRINCESA CITY CENTER | 9 € | 2.15 € | 10 |
| FROM PUERTO PRINCESA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (PPS) TO PORT BARTON | 29.20 € | 29.20 € | 180 |
| FROM PUERTO PRINCESA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (PPS) TO EL NIDO | 50 € | 50 € | 250 |
How much is a taxi from Puerto Princesa Airport?
If you take a taxi from Puerto Princesa Airport, the metered fare is around €2.15 (PHP 151). This includes the initial €1.60 (PHP 115) flag-down fee, which covers the first 500 meters, as well as a €0.06 (PHP 4) charge for every two minutes of waiting time and €0.06 (PHP 4) for every additional 300 meters traveled.
These are the official government rates, but in reality, some drivers might try to charge you more for the ride to your hotel. They also accept only cash, not debit or credit cards, so you’ll need some Philippine pesos on hand to pay for the trip.
The alternative to taxis is a private transfer from €21 (PHP 1,491.90) with Welcome. With this option, you get a fixed price at the time of booking; you can pay online in advance, and you are guaranteed an English-speaking driver, with their name provided before you arrive.
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How does a pre-booked Puerto Princesa Airport transfer work?
Pre-arranging your Puerto Princesa transfer gives you peace of mind and several added benefits, including:
-Fluent English-speaking drivers who will pick you up at Puerto Princesa Airport.
-Complimentary flight monitoring and an additional 20 minutes of waiting time after landing.
-Fixed-price rides starting from €21 (PHP 1,491.90).
-Option to cancel up to 24 hours before arrival if you have an emergency.
-Extras, such as child seats, that you can add to your booking.
-Different vehicle options, including standard sedans (up to 3 passengers) and minivans (up to 8 passengers).
-Carefully selected pickup points at Puerto Princesa Airport where your assigned driver meets you.
You can organize a Welcome transfer from PPS in five steps:
-Book in the Welcome app or on the website, then receive an email with your driver’s contact details so you’re ready on arrival.
-While you travel to Puerto Princesa, the driver monitors your flight and can change the pickup time if you’re delayed.
-After you touch down and grab your bags, open the Welcome app, find the pickup point, and walk there to meet your driver.
-When you arrive, the driver will greet you and load your bags into the vehicle.
-Once you’re comfortable and all your luggage is safely stored, the trip to Puerto Princesa begins.
Where is the taxi rank at Puerto Princesa Airport?
Puerto Princesa Airport taxi drivers collect passengers based on flight arrival times from the rank outside the main exit doors on the ground floor of the arrivals area. Drivers are only allowed onto the premises to line up 15 minutes before flights land, and they must stay in their vehicle until a passenger shows up and needs help loading their bags into the car.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) regulates how many taxi drivers can enter the airport when flights arrive. As a result, there should be enough taxis to meet demand, so you shouldn’t have to wait long for a ride after leaving the terminal.
Licensed taxis at Puerto Princesa Airport are yellow, the color given to taxi vehicles that specifically offer airport journeys in the Philippines. You may also see white taxis, but these are not airport taxis. They are known as ‘street taxis’ and have lower rates, with a flag-down fee of €0.90 (PHP 65), a per-km rate of €0.20 (PHP 13.50), and a €0.03 (PHP 2) charge for every minute traveled.
PPS Airport taxis can carry up to four passengers, but trunk space is often limited. If all four passengers have a lot of heavy luggage, you may need to take two taxis.
Which destinations can you explore from Puerto Princesa Airport?
With Welcome, you can easily reach Palawan’s most exciting tourist hotspots from PPS, including the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Port Barton, and El Nido.
-Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park: Discover one of the Philippines’ most beautiful cave systems with a 105-minute transfer with Welcome from €72 (PHP 5,064.60). The journey from PPS to Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is only 73.5 km.
-Port Barton: Experience Port Barton’s untouched beaches and rustic atmosphere, just 146 km (3 hours) from PPS, by taking a private transfer from €117 (PHP 8,229.95).
-El Nido: Book a direct ride to Palawan’s main island-hopping destination, with Puerto Princesa to El Nido taxi prices starting at €196 (PHP 13,786.90) when arranged with Welcome. Located near the northern tip of Palawan, El Nido is 271 km from PPS, a 5-hour ride.
What's useful to know before arriving at Puerto Princesa Airport?
- Make sure you have small notes in Philippine pesos to pay for your taxi. Drivers often don't have much change, so if you try to hand over a large note, they may not accept it.
- When you get into a yellow airport taxi, check that the driver has the meter on. If they haven't, ask them to, and if they refuse, get out, as you will likely be overcharged. The relevant authorities are starting to clamp down on this practice, but it still happens from time to time.
- Students and elderly passengers are entitled to a 20% discount on airport taxis. Show the driver proof to receive it.
- Anyone traveling alone on a budget can also take a tricycle taxi from PPS, which is a motorbike connected to an open carriage. These are an affordable way to reach the city, but if it's raining, you and your bags will likely get soaked.