How to get around #Kampala (when you don’t have a helicopter)

How to travel around Kampala – Walk? Cycle? Boda boda? Drive? Taxis or special hire? Matatu? Bus or coach? Train? Helicopter?!

New expats frequently ask me where the best places are to live in Kampala and I always recommend trying to live the same side of town as you work. Scroll down and you’ll understand why. Kampala does not have a public transport system as such (it’s all privately owned) but there are many different ways of travelling to and around the city. Here’s the muzungu’s introduction to the different types of transport and a few personal recommendations.

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you’ll know I’m always up for a new adventure so I’ve tried all the different methods of transport across Kampala.

⦁ Walking
⦁ Cycling
⦁ Boda boda motorbikes
⦁ Cars
⦁ Taxis and special hires
⦁ Matatus
⦁ Buses and coaches
⦁ Train
⦁ Helicopter!

Walking in Kampala

If you’re within walking distance of where you work, then lucky you! My organisation office was in the spare room of my home for my first few years in Uganda and I was saved the hassle of fighting through Kampala’s traffic. I had no idea how lucky I was!

Walking my dogs through the back roads of Bukasa and Muyenga were some of my happiest times in Uganda. Here’s a favourite walk of ours. Once you’re in town however, walking is an altogether different matter.

It’s only in the centre of town and around the central business district (CBD) that you will find decent pavements. In other parts of town, pavements may suddenly end without warning (if they exist). Drainage covers may be there today and gone tomorrow so always tread carefully. If you have kids, forget bringing the buggy to Kampala. You won’t be able to push it very far.

Cycling in Kampala

I know very few expats who dare to cycle on Kampala’s crazy streets. I used to cycle when I lived in London but here we have little awareness of cyclists or their safety. You wouldn’t find me cycling around Kampala unless it is down by Lake Victoria or on the quiet hills of Kololo or Nakasero. Save your biking for weekends in Lake Mburo or Fort Portal. (Did you know there is an annual mountain bike tour in Karamoja?)

Boda boda motorbikes

These are undoubtedly the quickest way of getting from A to B and the city couldn’t function without them. Boda boda drivers are our best friends, our Mr Fix It, frequently our saviours – just choose with discretion. They can be a real menace too. Read my blog How to ride a boda boda.

If you take a boda boda, do yourself a favour and wear a helmet. Don’t just accept a lift from random guys driving past either. Get to know riders from your local boda boda stage or download one of the ‘ride hailing apps’ such as SafeBoda or Uber app in Kampala. Their boda riders are registered and (Usually but not always) bring you a high quality helmet to wear.

Driving a car in Kampala

Lots of people prefer the comfort and privacy of having their own cars. I bought my car from expat friends and enjoyed the independence of it for many years. What I didn’t enjoy were the many hours sweating in traffic jams at Jinja Road. Neither did I appreciate being pulled over by the traffic police for some minor offence they had just cooked up when they spotted a loan muzungu. (They pick on Ugandans too, I know!)

The weirdest occasion was one Christmas Eve when I was driving through the industrial area. The traffic policeman ahead of me motioned me to pull over. “What have I done?” I asked him innocently. He walked around the car.

“I’m pulling you over for having a faulty rear brake light” he said.

“How could you see that when you were standing in front of me?” I asked him.

“For us, we have special powers” came the reply.

Driving in Kampala – not for the nervous is a popular post by a former expat.

Taxis and special hires

This is where it gets confusing!

Private cars are called ‘specials’ or special hires.

When a British person like me thinks of a taxi, this is what I see:

Matatus

In Kampala however, ask for a taxi (pronounced taxiiiiiii) and someone will point you to a matatu or minibus. The crowded old taxi park in downtown Kampala is an experience in itself! It can be pretty intense.

The 12 seater minibus taxis (generally white with turquoise ‘go faster’ stripes) are the cheapest way to get around but the routes can be annoying as you have to go into the centre of town to get out to the other side. People often walk a bit, take a matatu and then take the second one or jump on a boda boda for the last part of their journey.

Matatus are very cheap. There are no price lists, no receipts and no timetable. They have set prices but the conductor (who sits by the sliding door and takes your money) will frequently try and overcharge you if you’re a muzungu. It is inevitable but you will quickly get to know what’s a fair price. Most routes charge 1,000 shillings (equivalent to 20 British pence or 30 US cents). If you’re not sure how much to pay, fellow passengers will usually help you out (and scold the conductor at the same time!) Travel with loose change or small notes if you’re using a taxiiiiiii in Kampala.

Matatus are good if you are on a tight budget, have a good book to read and can go to work very early (or arrive home very late). Play with your expensive phone at your peril. Thieves are known to put their hand through taxi windows and snatch phones when you’re stuck in traffic.

The downside with matatus is that they frequently get stuck in traffic, especially around the taxi park and Clock Tower roundabout. It’s not uncommon to sit for one or two hours without moving. Their drivers are often aggressive. Also, you have to be careful of your belongings on these crowded minibuses as there are lots of cunning pickpockets. One friend was relieved of her laptop in a matatu. She had no idea she was being robbed until she got out of the taxi and opened her bag to see her laptop had been replaced by bricks!

If you are using a taxi upcountry, expect to fit a lot more than 12 people in!

Note: Uganda’s matatus are twelve-seater minibuses, slightly different from Nairobi’s matatus which are buses, coaches or ‘coasters’ (slightly smaller than a bus).

Buses and coaches

Within Kampala city, Pioneer are the only bus company that I know of. Their buses are new, well-maintained with fixed routes, fixed prices and even tickets! Oh how I wish the city had more of these.

If you want to travel outside Kampala, upcountry or across one of Uganda’s borders, buses are safer than matatus, which have a particularly poor safety record. Bus companies I have used regularly are Mash, Link and Jaguar Executive Coaches. Other people also recommend Oxygen, Coast and Modern Coaches. After the latest crash I am not recommending any of them! (But the reality is we don’t always have a choice).

Train

If you are lucky enough to live in Kireka or Namanve, you can even get the train into town! The downside is that the service is infrequent although it does have a daily timetable and it’s very cheap. Click on the image to read more about Kampala’s commuter train service.

I simply love trains. Read about my train travels across East Africa:

• On the right track – my first Ugandan train ride
• More ‘lunatic’ than express – an epic adventure on Kenya’s (in)famous train to Mombasa
• Of romance and railways. A guide to booking Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway train and a comparison between the train journey and the bus between Nairobi and Mombasa.  

Helicopter

I once crossed Jinja Road by helicopter!

When I was a volunteer, I got to know the pilot of the helicopter stationed at International Hospital Muyenga. I begged him for a ride (not thinking there was any likelihood of it).

One morning he called me. “Can you get to the hospital in fifteen minutes? I have to transfer the helicopter to the grounds of the Serena Hotel to pick up a private client. You can hop in if you want to?”

God I was excited – but no sooner had the helicopter lifted off the ground than we were landing again… and that sums up my travel experiences in helicopter!

What’s the muzungu’s preferred way of travelling around Kampala?

These days I’m a regular user of one of the ride hailing apps. I use them regularly when I’m in Kampala – but the cars all cost more than they used to.

Although Uber and Bolt aren’t Kampala’s only ride hailing app, they do offer the most flexibility and for tourists and new expats, they are recognised brands that you may already have on your phone. The system works exactly the same way as it does ‘back home’ but cash is always preferred by drivers. Few of them accept credit cards. Very few shops in Uganda accept credit cards – we just aren’t there yet.

What’s great about Uber’s service in Kampala is that they have both cars and boda bodas. However, SafeBoda has 100s of bodas now and Uber doesn’t.

What are your tips for travelling around Kampala? If you’re coming to live in Uganda for the first time, read Uganda for beginners – an introduction for new expats.

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