Getting Around Uganda: Transport Guide

By Air

Flights are available at reasonable prices from Kampala to all the other major towns like Entebbe, Arua and Kasese. Charter plains are also available but at a very hefty price.

By Road

Traffic drives on the left in Uganda. The road network is very good all over Uganda except on the northern parts. The bus service (minibuses and “matatus”) is unreliable and tends to get over crowded. It runs from Kampala to all the other major cities around Uganda daily. The EMS postal bus service run by the postal department is efficient, reliable and affordable. Taxis that are coloured black and white are expensive but will take you wherever you want to go.

There are many car hire companies but the range of vehicles on offer is small.  Some charge a flat weekly rate but most base their fares on daily rate plus mileage, insurance and petrol. Cars come with a chauffer but self-drive cars are becoming increasingly available.

By Train

The train service runs twice a day between Taroro and Kampala and once daily to other destinations. The trains are comfortable but are not always on schedule.

By Waterways

There’s a ferry service that connects Kampala with the Sesse islands. It runs once a day and is expensive but definitely worth the ride.