Transport Guide by Road Buses Are the Cheapest Mode of Transport In

Getting Around Mozambique: Transport Guide by newsdesk By Road Buses are the cheapest mode of transport in Mozambique but regular services only operate between major towns where roads are in motorable condition. In rural areas, people negotiate rides and fares on converted passenger trucks (chapa-cems) or regular trucks (camions). On the services that do operate, carry food and water as the stops are literally few and far between. Foreigners should also ensure all their travel documents are in order and must carry them on their person as the authorities conduct regular and strict checks for documentation. Cabs are rarely available outside the main cities but there are plenty of car rental firms happy to hire vehicles to foreigners who pay in hard currency. For those planning to drive themselves, insist on hiring a sturdy 4WD and check its roadworthiness. An International Driving Permit is necessary, traffic drives on the left of the road and insurance is recommended. There is a fairly extensive network of gas stations along the major routes though not in the reserves and game parks. Driving after dark outside of the cities can be dangerous as car hijackings and highway robberies are commonplace. Stray cattle and vehicles without headlamps are the other hazard on country roads, which are anyway, poorly maintained. The bus service in the capital, Maputo is better than most and actually covers a large amount of territory. The long-distance bus depot is on Avenida 24 de Julho just beyond Praca 16 de Junho in Maputo. In all the cities, taxis are metered and drivers still expect to be tipped. By Air Domestic air services operate internal flights between the main centres of Maputo and Beira, but flight schedules are erratic and delays are common. The air service connects Maputo with Blantyre (Malawi), Inhambane, Beira, Quelimane, Tete, Lichinga, Nampula and Pemba. Air-taxi services are also available, and are the safest means of transport outside the main cities. Mozambique has many airfields, most of them not sealed but charter flights do fly to these minor airfields. Charter flights can be booked through tour operators. By Train The civil war disrupted the train network in Mozambique and even now all parts of the country are not connected to each other by train services. There is no existing rail line connecting the two major cities of Maputo and Beira in Mozambique. The trains that do operate run between Beira, Tete, Nacala, via the junction at Monapo to Nampula and Lichinga. Trains from Maputo connect Goba and Ressano Garcia and travel further down the line to the border with Zimbabwe. Most of the trains that run in Mozambique have three classes, but have a very small number of sleeper, dining or air-conditioned cars. Advance bookings are recommended, particularly for the sleeper section. Getting Around Mozambique: Transport Guide by newsdesk.

Load more