Car pickup at Sharm El Sheikh airport: what happens from landing to driving away
Short answer: you land at SSH, clear passport control, collect your bags and meet the rental company's representative at the pickup point agreed in your request; you show your documents, check the car and drive off. This guide walks through car pickup at Sharm El Sheikh airport in the order it happens, for a self-drive rental booked on Charm Rental. For the general airport page and cars listed there, see the airport location page.
Before you fly: pick the car and send the request
On Charm Rental you choose one specific car. Its page shows the photos, the pickup location, the deposit if there is one, and the price for your dates. You send a request, the local rental company confirms it, and no online payment is taken when you send the request.
On the booking step you can add your flight number. Do it, and add your arrival time in the message. Then ask the company two things in your request: where exactly you will meet at the airport and what happens if your flight is late. We cannot promise a waiting time or a name sign for every company, so get the answer in writing before you fly.
Landing: terminals, passport control and the visa kiosk
Sharm El Sheikh International Airport has two terminals next to each other. Airport guides report that international arrivals mostly use Terminal 1, but your airline and boarding pass tell you which one you land at.
Before passport control, check which entry you need. The UK Foreign Office says that if you arrive by air at Sharm El Sheikh and stay under 15 days at resorts in Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba, you do not need a visa and you get a free entry stamp. According to our local partner companies in Sharm (October 2026), Russian and Ukrainian citizens receive the Sinai entry stamp for about one month, 28 to 30 days; check the current rules before you travel. If you need a visa, the Foreign Office says approved airports have kiosks before the immigration counters where you can buy a physical visa for 30 US dollars, cash only, valid up to 30 days, and that you do not need to buy one from an agent. Your passport must be valid for at least six months and have a blank page. Keep your passport in your hand after the counter: you need it at the pickup and at checkpoints.
If you plan to drive beyond Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba, for example to Cairo, a Sinai stamp is not enough. Our guide to entry rules explains the difference.
The arrivals hall and where the handover happens
After baggage claim and customs, airport guides describe a busy arrivals hall with taxi drivers and tour representatives calling out to travellers. Walk on, do not stop to negotiate, and look for the person you arranged to meet. Luggage trolleys are available.
The pickup location is shown on each car's page: some cars are handed over at the airport, others at an office or another point in the city. International and local agencies work at and near the airport, so never assume a desk; confirm the exact meeting point with the company once your request is confirmed. Send your phone number and keep your phone on after landing. If you cannot find each other within a few minutes, call the company instead of walking off with someone who approached you.
If you land late at night, which is routine for charter flights, ask in advance whether the handover is possible at that hour. If not, a pre-booked airport transfer to the hotel and a pickup next morning is a calm alternative.
At the desk: documents, deposit and child seat
Bring your passport, your entry stamp or visa, and your driving licence. According to our local partner companies, they accept national driving licences from any country, for example Ukrainian, Russian or Saudi. The UK Foreign Office and German and Austrian motoring clubs advise carrying an International Driving Permit as well, mainly for police checks, so take one if you have it.
The security deposit is set by the company that owns the car and shown on the car's page before you send a request. According to our partners it is typically 300 to 500 US dollars or euros depending on the car, and for an expensive car it can be about 1,000. Some companies accept your passport left with them for the rental period instead of a cash deposit; then there is no deposit. Ask in your request how you will pay it.
Child seats are provided by the companies. Cars that have one show Child seat on request on the offer card. Choose such a car and write your child's age in the request; do not expect a street taxi to have one.
Before you drive away: check the car and plan the first drive
Walk around the car with the representative and photograph every scratch and dent, inside and out, with the date visible. Write down the fuel level and the odometer reading, and ask which fuel the car takes, where the registration papers and the rental contract are, and who to call if something goes wrong. Check the spare wheel and the warning triangle too.
The first drive is short. From the airport, Naama Bay is about 11 to 14 km and 15 to 20 minutes, Nabq Bay about 8 km and 10 to 15 minutes, and the Old Market about 20 km and 20 to 25 minutes; these are road estimates without traffic. Traffic keeps to the right. Expect speed bumps and police checkpoints, keep your passport and car papers within reach, and read our guide to driving rules, fuel and checkpoints before the first long trip.