Getting Around Nouadhibou

Getting Around Nouadhibou

Nouadhibou is a compact city, and most of what a visitor wants to see sits within a small, walkable core. Beyond that core, shared taxis are the workhorse of local transport, and a single freight railway provides the only long-distance rail link. There is no metro, tram, or urban rail system in the city.

Walking

The city centre can be walked in under fifteen minutes, so the simplest way to see the sights is on foot. Attractions such as the Table Remarquable, the markets, and the ships' graveyard are among the things visitors come to see, and the centre itself is small enough to cover in a short stroll.

Taxis and Shared Rides

Taxis are amazingly cheap and are found everywhere, but they are not marked as taxis. The practical signal is a car honking as it approaches you — that is a taxi offering a ride. Fares are low and paid per person on shared runs.

• Taxis are shared by design: two passengers are expected to fit in the front passenger seat and four in the back.
• If a woman gets into the car, men may be asked to move in order to help her maintain an appropriate distance.
• Trips from the city centre out to the Port Autonome area or to Cansado cost more than a standard in-town hop.
• A taxi to the railway station is typically paid as a shared fare per person once the car is full.

There is no ride-hailing app culture described for the city; the practical approach is to flag a passing car or pick one up at a known stand.

Buses and Other Public Transport

Nouadhibou has no metro, tram, or city bus network to speak of for getting around town. The bus services that exist are long-distance coaches connecting the city with other destinations rather than local transit.

• There are no regular bus connections from outside the country, though Supratours runs a bus from Dakhla to the Mauritanian border, from where independent transport can be arranged.
• Between Nouadhibou and Nouakchott, at least five bus lines provide daily runs, most leaving in the morning.
• Well-known operators include El-Bouragh (across from the Nouadhibou airport), Global (on the lower road across from the FM radio station), Al-Moussavir, As-Salaam (on the middle main road near the 5th Robinet), Somatir (at Robinet 3, using air-conditioned mini-vans), and Sonef.

For intercity travel, tickets are bought directly from the bus company rather than through a central pass or card system.

Railway

Mauritania has only one railway line, the Iron Ore Train, which links Nouadhibou with Choum and Zouérat. It exists primarily to carry iron ore from the Zouérat mines to the port at Nouadhibou, and the freight trains can be extraordinarily long. The railway also carries passengers.

• Only one passenger car is attached to one of these trains daily in each direction.
• There is no strict timetable, but the passenger car typically departs Nouadhibou in the afternoon or evening.
• Tickets for the passenger car are bought for the journey; the car is usually overcrowded and has no light inside.
• Travel in an ore hopper is possible and free, but a scarf or other face cover is necessary because of the dust. The ore itself is not very dirty, and passengers should be careful aboard the train as it lurches violently when accelerating or braking.
• The railway station is located north of Nouadhibou, a few kilometres north of the roundabout at the northern end of town, so plan a taxi ride to reach it.

Getting from the Airport into the City

The city is served by Nouadhibou International Airport, which sits within the city centre area. Mauritania Airlines flies several times a week between Nouakchott and Nouadhibou as well as from Gran Canaria. Because the airport is part of the central city area rather than a distant outpost, reaching the centre is straightforward: the same shared taxis that serve the rest of town are the practical option, and the walkable centre is close at hand once you are out of the terminal. One bus company, El-Bouragh, is located across from the airport, which is useful if you are continuing onward to Nouakchott rather than staying in town.

Practical Tips

• Expect to share taxis and to pay per person; fares are low, so exact change in local currency is helpful.
• Since taxis are unmarked, rely on the honk as your cue that a car is available.
• For the train, allow extra time to reach the station north of town, and bring a face covering if you plan to ride in an ore hopper.
• For intercity buses, go to the company's own office or pickup point rather than looking for a central station.