Getting Around Tema: An Overview
Tema is a planned city on Ghana's Atlantic coast, built around its harbour and laid out in numbered communities, each with access to basic amenities. That planned layout, combined with the city's compact core and its position just east of Accra, shapes how visitors move around. The practical reality for a tourist is simple: there is no metro or tram system, and public transport is overwhelmingly road-based, with buses, shared vehicles and taxis doing the heavy lifting. Tema is linked to Accra by both a highway and a railway, so the two cities function as a connected pair for most journeys.
Rail
Tema has a railway connection to Accra, and commuter trains run between the two cities. The rail terminus for these services is Tema Community 1 railway station, which is the practical starting point if you want to travel by train. Trains on the Tema–Mpakadan Railway Line also serve stops in the Volta Basin.
For a visitor, the train is best thought of as a way of linking Tema with Accra and points along that corridor rather than as a way of getting around within Tema itself. There is no urban rail, metro or tram network inside the city, so you should not expect to hop on a train to move between communities. If you plan to use the commuter service, treat the station as your anchor and build the rest of your journey around road transport at either end.
Buses and Public Transport
Public transport in Tema is bus-based. Services are operated by several agencies, including the AMA Department of Transport, and the network is oriented around connecting Tema and its neighbouring communities with Accra and its suburbs.
Useful bus stops for visitors include the Ashaiman stop, which is the nearest bus station to Tema and roughly an eight-minute walk away, and the Hospital Roundabout stop, about a ten-minute walk. Bus routes in the area typically run between Ashaiman and destinations in Accra such as Abeka Lapaz, Achimota, Nima, Nima Mamobi, Circle Overhead and Accra New Tema Station. Routes that stop near Tema include the 112, 347, 383 and 8 services.
Buses start early and run late: the first services begin around 5:00 AM, and the last buses run until roughly 10:46 PM. Fares and ticket prices are not published in the transit listings, and travellers are directed to the relevant transit app for pricing, so it is worth checking current fares in an app or asking locally before you travel. The same apps offer live directions, schedules, arrival times and get-off notifications, which are genuinely useful given that stop information is not always obvious on the ground.
- Bus is the main form of public transport in Tema.
- Key stops near the city: Ashaiman and Hospital Roundabout.
- Routes connect Ashaiman with Accra destinations including Abeka Lapaz, Achimota, Nima and Circle Overhead.
- Services run from early morning until late evening.
- Check fares and live timings via a transit app, as prices are not listed publicly.
Beyond the city buses, there are also public transport services linking Tema to major cities across Ghana, including Kumasi, Accra, Cape Coast, Sunyani, Takoradi, Tamale, Ho, Wa, Bolgatanga, Elubo, Aflao, Techiman and Mim in Ahafo. These longer-distance services are the way to go if you are using Tema as a base for wider travel.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis and app-based ride-hailing are the most flexible option for getting around Tema itself, particularly for reaching the numbered communities, the harbour area and the fishing harbour, which are not always conveniently served by bus routes. Because the city was planned with a road layout featuring landscaping and street lights, road travel within the built-up area is generally straightforward.
One caveat worth knowing: Tema is a busy economic hub, and traffic can be heavy, often worsened by potholes around various roundabouts. Build in extra time for road journeys, especially around the busier junctions, and consider agreeing a fare or confirming the app price before you set off.
Walkability
Tema's origins as a planned township work in a pedestrian's favour. The main township was constructed with a deliberate road layout, and the city's communities are numbered with easy access to basic amenities, which means many day-to-day needs can be met on foot within a community. The area around the harbour and the fishing harbour is also navigable on foot if you are visiting those specific sites.
That said, walking is best treated as a way of covering short, local trips rather than as a means of crossing the whole city. Distances between communities, the heat — Tema has a hot semi-arid climate with very warm to hot temperatures year-round — and the busy road environment all argue for combining walking with buses or taxis. Note also that Tema Newtown, the district that grew out of the original fishing village, developed differently from the planned township and lacks the same improved housing and geometrically laid roads, so it is less suited to casual strolling than the planned communities.
Getting from the Airport into the City
The reference material does not describe an airport located within Tema itself. The practical route into Tema is via Accra, which lies to the west and is connected to Tema by the N1 Kwame Nkrumah Motorway, also known as the Tema Motorway. This motorway is the main road link between the two cities; it ends at Aflao Road and continues as a normal suburban road.
For a visitor arriving by air, the sensible approach is to reach Accra first and then continue to Tema by road or rail:
- By road: Use the N1 Kwame Nkrumah Motorway from Accra to Tema. This is the primary highway connection between the two cities.
- By rail: Commuter trains run between Accra and Tema, terminating at Tema Community 1 railway station.
- By bus: Bus routes link the Tema and Ashaiman area with Accra destinations such as Accra New Tema Station, Achimota, Nima and Circle Overhead.
Once you are in Tema, onward travel within the city is by bus, taxi or ride-hailing, with walking for shorter local trips.
Practical Tips
- Plan around road transport: there is no metro, tram or urban rail in Tema.
- Use the Tema Motorway (N1) for the Accra–Tema journey, or the commuter train to Tema Community 1 station.
- Anchor bus travel on the Ashaiman and Hospital Roundabout stops.
- Download a transit app for live directions, schedules, arrival times and fare information.
- Allow extra time for road journeys — traffic and potholes around roundabouts can slow things down.
- For longer trips elsewhere in Ghana, use the intercity public transport services that run from Tema to major cities.