 TRANSPORT |
INTERNATIONAL
 AIR
Airlines serving the Democratic Republic of Congo include Lignes Aériennes Congolaises (the national air carrier), Air Afrique, Ethiopian Airlines, Uganda Airlines, Business Aviation, Kenya Airways and Air Zimbabwe. Two major european Airlines, Swissair and Sabena fly to Kinshasa via Bruxelles.
Approximate flight times: From Kinshasa to London is 10 hours 30 minutes including stopover in Brussels.
International airport: Kinshasa (N'Djili) is 25km (15 miles) southeast of the city. Coaches run to and from the city. Taxis are available. Airport facilities include 24-hour bank/bureau de change, post office, restaurant and car hire (Avis and Europcar), but all services may well be erratic and unreliable.
SEA/RIVER
The international port is Matadi on the Congo River. There are no passenger services to or from Matadi at present.
Ferry service between Kinshasa and Brazzaville may be closed with minimal notice due to the security situation. If ferry service is functioning, a special exit permit from the Democratic Republic of the Congo's (Kinshasa) Immigration Service and a visa from an Embassy of the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) are required to cross the Congo River from Kinshasa to Brazzaville. Ferry and riverboat service to the Central African Republic is suspended due to rebel control of the Ubangui River.
RAIL
In peacetime, there are rail services to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Lobito in Angola; and connections to Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa.
ROAD
Most of the Democratic Republic of Congo's borders are closed or very dangerous. Even in peacetime, the roads are mostly in bad condition and impassable in the rainy season. There are connecting roads to surrounding countries, the major routes being through Sudan, Uganda and Zambia.
INTERNAL
There are indefinite restrictions on tourist travel within or across the country. A permit from the Ministry of the Interior is required for all travel outside the capital.
AIR
There are connections from N'Djili Airport (Kinshasa) to over 40 internal airports and 150 landing strips. Small planes may be available for charter.
| RIVER
Over 1600km (1000 miles) of the Congo River are navigable and, in normal circumstances, there are services from Kinshasa to the up-river ports of Kisangani and Ilébo. Services are unreliable owing to political instability and fuel shortages.
RAIL
The main internal railway runs from Lubumbashi to Ilébo, with a branch to Kalemie and Kindu, and from Kinshasa to the port of Matadi. Rail services are generally subject to disruption. There is no air-conditioning, but there are couchettes and dining cars on the principal trains.
ROAD
Traffic drives on the right. Owing to poor maintenance, the roads are among the worst in Africa and only achieve a fair standard around the main towns. It is wise to check that bridges are safe before crossing. Vehicle thefts, including hijackings at gunpoint, occur. Bus: Services run between the main towns but are crowded and unreliable. Taxi: Available in Kinshasa but unreliable. Car hire: Available on a limited basis (Avis Kinshasa 00243-20111). Documentation: International Driving Permit required.
URBAN
Conventional bus services in Kinshasa can be severely overcrowded. Minibuses and converted truck-buses also offer public transport, and are known as fula fulas. Pick-up trucks are known as 'taxibuses'. A better standard of transport is provided by shared taxis, which are widely available. There is little or no public transport in most other large centres. For Private Taxi driver in Kinshasa Contact Charles 00 243 9901593.
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