Transportation in Chad

Chad's transport backbone is the shared taxi and bush taxi network, cheap, crowded, and the only way most Chadians move between towns. In N'Djamena you'll see fleets of battered Peugeot 504 estates that leave when full; they're a fraction of the cost of a private hire and still faster than waiting for an empty seat. Inside the capital, yellow-and-green minibuses follow set routes but have no posted stops, wave and hop off anywhere along the road. Motorcycle taxis swarm the side streets and are the quickest way to dodge traffic, though they're a splurge compared with the shared rides. First-timers should know there's no rail service and inter-city buses are scarce; long-distance travel means negotiating space in a bush taxi early in the morning before the heat and dust peak. Roads outside the capital range from fair to axle-breaking, so expect delays and carry water. At N'Djamena International, skip the unofficial touts loitering outside arrivals. The official taxi queue is on the left as you exit. Agree the fare before you load your bags, there's no meter, and the ride into downtown is typically moderate compared with the bargain shared taxis you'll use once you're settled.