GETTING AROUND CAMEROON

Once your flight to Cameroon arrives, you’ll want to explore the rest of the country. The railway makes travel from North to South possible. Train service between North and South is generally a reliable way to travel, but can sometimes be delayed. Purchase a first class ticket to ensure your spot on an air-conditioned car. The trip may take longer than expected, but the safety is worth the delay.

Tro-tros are bush taxis, which are the consistently the cheapest and quickest Cameroon travel methods for short distances. Prices are fixed, so you won’t be overcharged, but that doesn’t guarantee you’ll be on time. These rides only leave when they’re completely full, so be prepared to wait a bit.

Agencies are available in most main cities if you’re interested in renting a car, but they are known to be relatively expensive. From Yaounde, other cities are tangible through road trips, but some drives are shorter than others. Duala is only 3 hours away, but Ngaoundere is 12 hours away, Garoua is 18 hours away, and a drive to Maroua will take you an entire day.

Cabs are common in most cities; cab sharing is often encouraged as a way to save money, but be alert and aware if you decide to travel with strangers. There are differnt types of taxis with different prices:

The urban taxi: picks you up for 175 CFA Franc (several people in the same car)

The taxi on the fare: takes you from one point to another in the city after bargaining for the price (in general 1 500 CFA francs per hour).

The airport taxi: it cost 2 500 CFA Francs during the day and 5 000 CFA francs after 6 pm.

A taxi can also be hired for the day without sharing for about 100 US Dollars.

The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Yaounde;