I'm interested in visiting Tanzania - the capital of it (Dodoma) and Kilimanjaro park, and I didn't find any info about any airlines to get into Tanzania and about local transport - buses or taxis.
Is it safe to use taxi?
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3 Answers
Taxi
Taxis don't have meters, so negotiate price before getting into one. Most hotels will be happy to arrange for a transfer, but it will most likely be pricier than getting a taxi. If you're going to popular tourist destinations, I would personally prefer to arrange transfer to avoid the hawks.
Bus
If you're traveling by bus, choose the right bus company - I've read good things about Scandinavian Express, Royal Coach and Dar Express. Apparently, breakdowns and malfunctioning A/Cs (or no A/Cs) are common on other buses. Don't be surprised if buses are hours late.
Flying
For flying within Tanzania (to Kilimanjaro, for instance), it would probably be wise to use Precision Air, the only Tanzanian airline to pass IATA Operational Safety Audit.
Flying to Tanzania shouldn't be a problem either, as it's a popular tourist destination. From Europe, there are Lufthansa/Ethiopian Airlines co-chair flights from Frankfurt via Addis Ababa to Dar Es Salaam, Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro.
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4I've ridden a number of buses in Tanzania including Dar Express and Scandinavian Express. It was 5 years ago so things may have changed but I don't remember any of them having A/C. I didn't really have any problems with breakdowns. I don't think a single bus departed or arrived on "schedule" so factor that into your travel plans. It wasn't uncommon for a bus to be four or more hours late.– SeanCommented Jul 3, 2011 at 1:44
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3I've spent considerable time in Tanzania (over 7 months) I can tell you that things change pretty fast. I would recommend asking a local un-interested party about the best bus line before purchasing. I emphasize un-interested because this excludes EVERYONE at the bus terminal. People at the terminal will often get a cut from the bus line for bringing them a passenger, and as such aren't impartial. Commented Jan 26, 2012 at 18:08
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Don't forget the very decent TAZARA, the train linking up Dar with Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia. Also, local Tanzanian trains can be a decent enough alternative to travel by bus:
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Pretty late down the line, but I'm wondering whether this train can be used to travel from Moshi (Kilimanjaro) to Dar es Salaam. The route to Arusha seems to pass through there according to the wikipedia page map but I'm not sure if it stops, and I can't find any resources on getting a ticket or what the journey might be like– GreedoCommented Aug 31, 2017 at 18:50
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@Greedo I thought the only connections Tanzanian Railways operates are between Dar es Salaam and Kigoma and Dar and Mwanza. Commented Sep 1, 2017 at 1:06
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2Even later down the line but in December 2019 passenger trains re-started between Dar es Salaam and Moshi!– skifansCommented Apr 8, 2020 at 9:33
I have traveled to Tanzania a couple of times I personally likes bus services as it's pocket friendly. Buses are around the standard dollar an hour (i.e 10 hours = $10) however, they are ALWAYS 1-3 hours late, always! There are 2 types of buses – a 2×2 and a 3×2 basically how many seats across a row. Two seats and an aisle and two more seats OR 3 seats, an aisle and 2 more seats. The 3×2 is cheaper, if you get this TAKE AN AISLE SEAT! You’ll have more space, and if there’s more than one of you, don’t sit beside each other on a 3×2, there won’t be enough room – be warned! you can even book online there are many bus operators running around I used Otapp the last time I went to Tanzania for my Kilimanjaro trek.
