Transportation in Senegal
Urban transport
Senegalese cities are naturally endowed with different transport possibilities. There are six major means of urban transport: bus, taxi, bush taxi, train, Moto-taxis and river transport.
The Bus
Senegal has large modern buses that offer comfort to travelers. The network is extremely large and easily accessible. Each bus company has its own bus station. In parallel, other bus stations have been set up near the motorway. Every major city in the country has at least one bus company to reach Dakar and other Senegalese cities every day.
Taxi
Bush taxi
The inevitable bush-taxi is also present in Senegal and it is the means of transport used mostly by the local people to connect them to different parts of the country although it serves only the local or urban lines. Like the collective taxi, the bush taxi kick-offs only when all the seats are occupied, making time schedules quite uncertain.
Les Moto-taxis
Commonly known as “Taxis Jakarta”, moto-taxis are the main means of transport used in some Senegalese cities. Moto-taxis are also found in the big cities and make the happiness of some low-income passengers because they allow a quick trip and at lower costs.
Rail transport
Rail transport is managed by the Transrail International Transport Company, which also maintains the rail network. The railway line is nearly 1,287 km long and connects Dakar to Bamako (Mali) along a north-south axis. The regional express train (TER) is quite fast and the first-class seats offer more comfort. With a top speed of 160km / h and a capacity of 500 seats, it serves 14 stations in 45 minutes and it is capable of carrying up to 115,000 passengers a day and connects the new Blaise Diagne International Airport (AIBD) located at Diass to the City of Dakar, passing through the town of Diamniadio for a distance of 47 km.
Air Transport
Senegal has two international airports: The Léopold-Sédar-Senghor International Airport and the Blaise-Diagne International Airport, both located in Dakar and are the main airports in the country. In addition to international airports, several other small airports serve the Senegalese cities. Air Sénégal is the main airline company in the country. The international flights are provided by the following airline companies: Air Senegal, Air France, Turkish Airlines, Iberia, Swissair, TAP, Royal Air Maroc, Air Algeria, Tunisair to name a few.
River transport
River transport in Senegal is mainly provided by Casama, which assures maritime liaison between Dakar and Ziguinchor. The tariffs vary between 5,000 FCFA (about 7, 5 €) and 26,500 FCFA (about 41 €) for adults and between 2,500 FCFA (about 4 €) and 13,500 FCFA (about 21 €) for children from 0 to 12 years old. Besides the Casama Company, other companies such as Diambone Voyages and Casamance Évasion Tourisme located at Ziguinchor also offer trips between Dakar and Ziguinchor. This allows the rapid and efficient movement of the Senegalese population from one point of the country to another.
