GETTING THERE
Arriving by plane
Air Burkina (2J), Air France (AF), British Airways (BA), Egyptair (MS), South African Airways (SA), Kenya Airways (KQ) and KLM (KL) all fly to Côte d’Ivoire. Lufthansa (LH) flies to Abidjan in a
code share with Brussels Airlines (SN).
Flight times
5,000 CFA Fr for destinations outside Africa; 3,000 CFA Fr for African destinations.
Arrival by car
Car: There are connecting roads of different standards to Kumasi (Ghana) as well as Burkina Faso, Guinea, Liberia and Mali. The borders are closed at night.
Bus: Regular connections to Accra (Ghana) and Ougadougou (Burkina Faso); to Bamako usually once a week (duration: approx. 36-96 hours).
Bush taxis are available.
Arriving by train
Direct connections three times a week (duration: 25-27 hours) from Abidjan to Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). The train only carries 1st and 2nd class passenger cars, without air conditioning, no dining or sleeping cars. Sometimes freight wagons are also given to this train, which then increases the travel time.
Annotation:Since the situation within the Ivory Coast has not yet calmed down completely, it happens again and again that the train is stopped for checks by the army, but also by the rebels. Sometimes it is stopped for so long that it is not worth continuing the journey and the train returns and waits for the next day of departure. If you want to travel the entire route, you should consider that the Burkinabe rail network can be closed at any time due to financial difficulties. You should definitely inform yourself before leaving.
Arrival by ship
The main port is Abidjan. Another port is in San Pedro. Passenger ships do not call at ports in Côte d’Ivoire, but cargo ships offer some passenger seats for the crossing to / from Europe.
ON THE GO
Traveling by plane
Air Ivoire (VU) (Internet: www.airiviore.com) connects Abidjan with all major cities.
Airport fees: 800 CFA Fr.
Flight times
Abidjan – Bondoukou: 1 hour 20; Abidjan – Man: 50 min; Abidjan – Odienné: 2 hours 20; Abidjan – San Pedro: 1 hour
On the way by car / bus
As a country located in Africa according to homosociety, Côte d’Ivoire has a well-developed road network of around 80,000 km in length by West African standards, of which 6500 km are asphalted. The streets, which are often flooded in the rainy season, are not always well maintained. Except in the north you can find petrol stations at regular intervals. Driving overland at night is not recommended. Right-hand traffic.
Bus: Private minibuses and more comfortable long-distance buses run between all larger towns. Public buses are often overcrowded and sometimes in poor technical condition. Taxis are available
in the larger cities and are usually equipped with a taximeter. If this is not the case, a price should be agreed in advance. Taxis are often in poor technical condition. Rental car
are available in Abidjan, at the international airport and in major cities.
Documents: International driver’s license and additional insurance. When entering the country with your own vehicle, a Carnet de Passage is also required for stays of up to one month.
Traveling in the city
SOTRA operates the public transport (buses and ferries) in Abidjan. There are two tariff zones. The mostly red taxis have a taximeter, between midnight and 6 a.m. the fares double.
On the go by train
The Abidjan-Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) train connection is one of the most efficient in Africa and connects Abidjan with Bouaké and Ferkessédougou every day. Children under four years of age travel for free, children between four and nine years pay half.
Note on rail travel
Average train travel times:
Abidjan – Agboville: 2 hours; Abidjan – Dimbokro: 4 hours; Abidjan – Bouaké: 6 hours
TRAVEL WARNING
Current information
On March 13, 2016, there was a terrorist attack on a hotel in the port city of Grand Bassam. Travelers are strongly advised to follow instructions from local security forces and to carefully follow the media.
Even if the Ebola epidemic in the countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone is declared to be largely contained, it may, under certain circumstances, spread again in the region. So far, no cases have been reported from Côte d’Ivoire.
It is also advised to follow the news, in particular to observe the information on the homepage of the German embassy in Abidjan and to comply with general hygiene measures. You can find an information sheet on Ebola under external link, opens in new window www.diplo.de/reisemedizin.
Country-specific safety information
There are still roadside checks in Abidjan and inland. It is advised to take extra care during the night.
If you plan to travel to the west and north of the country, we recommend that you inquire at the German embassy in Abidjan. In March 2015, terrorist acts with an Islamist background took place in the border area with Mali.
Travel by land / crime / road traffic
Traveling overland should only be undertaken after careful planning, taking into account the current security situation. Armed street attacks in the northern and western parts of the country continue to be reported.
Night drives should be avoided because of the frequent traffic accidents and the risk of robberies.
