Getting Around Senegal: Transport Guide

By Air

Air Senegal operates flights from Dakar to all the main towns with airports in Senegal. It flies to Ziguinchor four times a week and once a week each to Tambacounda and Kedougou. The Gambia Air Shuttle offers flights from Dakar to Banjul (Gambia) twice a day.

By Road

Buses and minibuses ply on the routes between Dakar, Kaolack, Ziguinchor and to the other places in Senegal. Bus fares cost less than bush taxis, but you have to pay extra for baggage. If possible, avoid the battered, jam-packed minibuses misleadingly called cars rapides that crawl along to their destinations. A better mode of long distance travel is on a bush taxi or the taxi brousse. These operate on the main routes, are large vans with three rows of seats and are generally more comfortable, safe and dependable than the bus or minibus services. Car rentals can cost arm and a leg and often cost twice as much as hiring a cab’s service for the same long-distance drive. Most of the major international rental companies have offices in Dakar; some of the local companies do offer cheaper deals but do check out the car thoroughly for roadworthiness. A French or International Driving Permit is required and traffic drives on the right side of the road.

By Train

Senegal has a railway network with 1225km of train tracks that operates regular train services between Dakar and towns en route, to Bamako in Mali. There is also a service between Dakar and St Louis; St Louis and Kaolock; to Tambacounda and to some of the other towns. The Senegal express that runs biweekly services to Mali is very comfortable, especially if one is travelling first class.

By Boat

A new ferry service, L'Express du Senegal, operates between Dakar, and Banjul (Gambia) and Ziguinchor. The Kassoumay Kep ferry is a far more comfortable way of travelling the distance than by bus or bush taxis doing the same trip by road. The boat journey takes approximately 20 hours from Dakar to Ziguinchor but the schedule of the journey is dependant on the tides and so the timings vary. The service is available twice a week.