Transport in Kigali

Ever popular is walking
You might imagine given the hilly nature of the country that Rwandans would have calves like rugby players – but surprisingly not.

Local Minibuses which ply regular routes for the princely sum of 100Rwf per ride (= 9p or 13 eurocent)
These have the routes written on them and seat about 15 people. There are regular bus stops, where you wait, and buses drive past (if full) or stop and shout where they are going (which usually corresponds with what is written but not always)

Motor bike taxis
These also have certain territories written on the back of the drivers waistcoat. Taxi motors are green and yellow, and the helmets are green as well. I think they cost 200+ depending on distance travelled, but don’t know and am never likely to find out. We are advised not to use them on the basis that they are dangerous – we’ve seen lots of near misses, but that’s not the compelling reason. Helmets are compulsory – which is good for safety, but I really don’t fancy sticking my head in a very well used safety helmet in a warm country…..bleurgh

Inter town buses
Most of these are based just outside of the centre of Kigali, though there are more tour operators in the centre. Buses run to other major cities and towns hourly.

There are of course private taxis as well which start at 2000 (2.65 euro) and can be asked to wait or to hire for the day. The problem is more about communication. So and so’s house doesn’t really help, and the road names are pretty fluid, and the numbering is pretty non existent, so it’s a matter of describing a landmark in common and then where to go from there….


I got a local bus into town on my own for the first time yesterday, and did so again this morning. Pretty exciting stuff – we asked the deskclerk at the Novotel what to ask for, so now can ask for Mu muyji (centre) or villay (local pronunciation of French ville). Many of the embassy staff are so used to having a car that this seems like abnormal behaviour – and it’s a case of having to remember that in all our usual travels we don’t have access to a big 4x4 with cd plates – so why behave differently now? All the same, I haven’t yet come back from town by bus, as the bus station is a typically bustling, busy noisy affair. Watch this space.