Tunis-Carthage Airport is about 8 km from the city center. On the meter, a taxi fare here is among the cheapest airport transfers you will find anywhere. The challenge is making sure you pay the metered rate.
Price breakdown
City bus: Under 1 TND (under $1 USD). Infrequent and impractical for most travelers, but extremely cheap.
Taxi (metered, daytime): 8-15 TND ($3-5 USD) to central Tunis. This includes the flag drop and kilometer charge. A small per-bag surcharge of about 0.5 TND is official.
Taxi (metered, nighttime after 21:00): 12-22 TND ($4-7 USD). The nighttime tariff is approximately 50% higher.
Taxi (negotiated tourist rate): 20-50 TND ($7-16 USD). This is what many tourists end up paying if they do not insist on the meter.
Pre-booked transfer (sedan): $15-30 USD. Fixed price, no negotiation.
Pre-booked transfer (minivan): $25-45 USD. For families or groups.
Prices to specific destinations
- Avenue Habib Bourguiba (city center): 8-12 TND by taxi, $15-25 by transfer
- Medina / Old Town: 8-12 TND by taxi, $15-25 by transfer
- La Marsa: 12-20 TND by taxi, $20-30 by transfer
- Sidi Bou Said: 15-25 TND by taxi, $20-35 by transfer
- Hammamet (65 km): 50-80 TND by taxi, $40-70 by transfer
- Sousse (140 km): 100-150 TND by taxi, $80-130 by transfer
The meter vs fixed price gap
The gap between the metered fare and what an uninformed tourist pays can be three to five times. An 8 TND metered ride might be quoted at 30-40 TND. This is the single biggest pricing issue at this airport.
The driver will justify the higher price with claims about traffic, luggage fees, or special airport rates. None of these are legitimate if the meter is running. The only official surcharges are the per-bag fee and the nighttime tariff.
Currency notes
Tunisian Dinar (TND) is a closed currency. You cannot buy it before arriving in Tunisia, and you cannot take it out of the country. This means you must exchange or withdraw at the airport. ATMs dispense Dinars. Exchange rates at the airport are acceptable for small amounts.
Taxis are strictly cash only. Pre-booked transfers are typically paid online.
Tips for paying fairly
- Withdraw TND from an airport ATM before going to the taxi rank
- Insist firmly but politely on the meter in French: request the compteur
- If a driver refuses the meter, try the next taxi
- At night, confirm the meter shows tariff 2 (the night rate) and nothing else
- For resort destinations like Hammamet, pre-booked transfers are often better value than negotiating a long-distance taxi fare