Student Tickets and Discounts in Giza

Student tickets and discounts in Giza can be summed up in one sentence, and that sentence surprises most people: The official price list has exactly four categories, and a child rate is not one of them.

The four are: Egyptian adults, Egyptian students, foreign adult visitors, and foreign student visitors. The student rate is about half of the adult rate in both groups. There are no further tiers: no seniors, no groups, no families, and certainly no children.

This is verifiable. The Ministry's price list lists exactly these four lines for the site, and the site's page mentions the same two rates for foreign visitors. Any additional discounts circulating in travel information are not found in either of these sources.

This page therefore addresses the question systematically: which ID qualifies for the student rate, what applies to children, and where there are no discounts at all.

Which ID actually counts

Now to the ID question, because this is exactly where it is decided whether the half price applies to you.

The price list mentions a category for students but does not specify which document proves it. In practice, it is consistently reported that the International Student Identity Card is accepted, while a regular ID from your home university often is not. The reason is obvious: a ticket clerk in Giza cannot classify a card from Bochum or Graz, but an internationally standardized card is recognizable.

Regarding age, there is also a claim circulating that is deliberately not stated here as a rule: it is occasionally said that the international card is no longer issued or recognized beyond a certain age. This could not be verified, and the issuing offices themselves state different conditions. If you are an older student, you should check with the issuing authority before your trip rather than relying on forum posts.

So if you plan to use the student rate, you should get the international card before you travel, rather than hoping your university card will be accepted. It costs a small amount, is valid for one year, and is recognized at many sites in Egypt, not just here.

Two limitations apply. First, recognition is a matter for the person at the counter, not an enforceable right; there are reports of both acceptance and rejection. Second, the discount is tied to being a student, not to age, and conversely, being young without a card does not help.

Bring the card in its original form. A photo on your phone is not sufficient at many counters.

Cheap and close instead of expensive and far. Those who save on admission often save even more on travel: in the district east of the site, there are simple guesthouses with rooftop terraces within walking distance of the gate, making daily trips unnecessary. Three places that cover this:

At the Sphinx

Giza Pyramids View Inn

Sphinx Street 10, Nazlet el-Samman

• Good breakfast
• Airport shuttle
• Two restaurants
• 24-hour reception
• Free Wi-Fi

For those who want to see the Sphinx from their breakfast chair

from 25 €/night

View

Most reviewed

Great Pyramid Inn

Abu-al-Hol Street 14, a few minutes to the gate

• Fabulous breakfast
• Rooftop terrace restaurant
• Bar
• Airport shuttle
• 24-hour reception

Most who want to stay in the neighborhood

from 27 €/night

View

Garden & pool

Marriott Mena House

North side, at the former main entrance

• Excellent breakfast
• Outdoor pool
• Spa and wellness center
• Three restaurants
• Fitness center

For those who want space, garden, and pool instead of a rooftop terrace

from 230 €/night

View

Information on children is thin

That leaves the question of children, and here the information situation is unsatisfactory.

Online, it is often stated that children under six get free entry and children between six and twelve pay half. This claim could not be confirmed in any official source for the Giza Plateau; the price list simply does not include it. It is possible that it applies to museums and was transferred to the site, and it is also possible that it is applied at the counter without being recorded.

What is remarkable about this gap is something else. A site that counts millions of visitors annually publishes a price list with four lines and thus does not answer the most common question from families. This is not a criticism of the administration, but an observation about the state of public information: much of what travelers need exists only as practice at the counter, not as a document.

For planning, this means: when in doubt, budget for the full rate and be pleased if it turns out cheaper. Those setting a family budget should not count on a discount that is nowhere documented.

A second regulation concerns young people and has nothing to do with price. Since July 2022, entry for those under sixteen is restricted on Fridays, Saturdays, and public holidays, with an explicit exception for young people with ID or accompanied by a supervisor. For traveling families, this is practically without consequence, but the headline without this addition rightly alarms. Whether this regulation is still applied today is unverified.

Where there are no discounts

Finally, the other half of the equation: where there are no discounts.

The student rate applies to entry to the site. There are separate tickets for the interiors of the pyramids, and whether and to what extent discounts apply there is not reliably documented. Budget for the full amount for the interiors and ask at the counter rather than assuming.

The same applies to neighboring sites and the Grand Museum. Each site has its own ticket and its own rate structure, and a discount at one place says nothing about the next. If you plan to visit multiple sites, you should ask about the student rate again at each counter rather than assuming it automatically continues.

Also not discounted are all services not provided by the state: guided tours, transfers, camel and horse rides, photography permits for professional equipment, and on-site dining. An intermediary selling a package calculates with the adult rate because they cannot verify your ID.

This leads to a simple recommendation for all who watch their budget: buy the entry ticket yourself at the counter and present your card, rather than booking a package that includes entry. With a package, you pay the full entry price, and the discount goes unused.

A word about the Egyptian rate, because the question comes up regularly. It applies to nationals and is granted upon presentation of ID; it is not a discount for people of Egyptian descent or for long-term residents. The large gap between the two rate groups is common in many countries with significant cultural heritage and is justified by the fact that locals help finance the sites through taxes.

And do the math once before getting the international card specifically for this trip. It pays off if you visit multiple sites, such as Giza, Saqqara, and a museum. For a single visit to the plateau, the savings are smaller than the effort.