Getting Around Freetown

Freetown, Sierra Leone

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Getting Your Bearings

Freetown is Sierra Leone's capital and largest city, a major port on the Atlantic in the Western Area, and the country's urban, economic and political centre. It sits on one of the world's largest natural deep-water harbours, in the estuary of the Sierra Leone River. Krio is the city's primary language of communication and by far the most widely spoken, which is useful to know when you're asking for directions or negotiating a fare.

Practically speaking, Freetown is a city of informal transport. There is no metro, tram or suburban rail to fall back on, so visitors get around by shared taxis, minibuses, three-wheelers, motorcycle taxis, chartered taxis and hired cars. The good news is that almost all of it is cheap; the challenge is that routes are not always obvious to a newcomer.

Rail, Metro and Trams

There is no rail, metro or tram network for getting around Freetown. Sierra Leone's public railway service closed in 1974, and nothing has replaced it for urban travel. What remains is heritage rather than transport: a railway museum has opened at Cline Town and is well worth a visit, and original railway buildings and signs can still be seen in and around the city, particularly at Hill Station and Congo Cross. It used to be possible to walk along much of the old track bed, starting near the Hill Station Club and dropping down the hill via Congo Cross into Freetown, but road construction has made that route hard to find.

Buses and Minibuses

Freetown's public transport has historically been dominated by informal operators, and that is still what a visitor will encounter most often. The main options are:

On the ticketing side, reforms have introduced an integrated ticketing system and a passenger information system, alongside a control centre managing the MTCL buses. In practice, for a visitor this means that on the formal corridors you may encounter organised ticketing rather than the informal cash-and-shout arrangements typical of poda-podas. If you are unsure, ask at your hotel which corridors are currently served and how payment works on the day.

Taxis and Ride-Hailing

Local taxis run fixed routes and are shared rides. For the uninitiated there is no real way to figure out where they are going, and drivers are busy making a living rather than explaining everything to foreigners. They are very cheap, so you can simply hail one and see how far it takes you in the right direction before it turns off. Empty taxis will assume that foreigners want to charter the vehicle rather than share it; to signal that you want a shared ride, declare "no cha cha" when you get on board.

Chartering a taxi (known locally as "cha cha") is the more comfortable option and can be arranged for a few hours, a day, or even several days. Drivers expect to be negotiated with, so bargain. A convincing tactic is to let the driver know that if he gives you a good price and you like his service, you will keep him on your speed dial for longer chartered rides. Having a trusted taxi driver on your phone shortlist is generally a good idea, and is particularly recommended for female travellers.

Hotel taxis are usually available in much better condition and are regulated, at a higher cost than street taxis. Three-wheeled tuk-tuk type vehicles now fill the roads of Freetown and, while cheap, their safety is very poor and they are best avoided.

Ride-hailing apps are not described in the available source material, so plan on hailing taxis on the street, using hotel taxis, or arranging a chartered driver rather than relying on an app.

Walking

Walking is possible in central Freetown, and the city's original layout helps: Freetown was built on an American grid pattern with parallel streets and wide roads, the largest being Water Street. Reforms have included pedestrian bridges and pedestrian crossings as part of a traffic management plan, which suggests crossing major roads has been a recognised problem. Treat walking as a good way to explore a specific neighbourhood, and use vehicles to move between districts.

Rental Cars and Drivers

Car hire is possible and can normally be arranged through hotels or local car dealerships, and cars will normally come with a driver. Journeys outside Freetown into more rural areas often require a four-wheel-drive vehicle and cost more. Many roads in Freetown have been reconstructed, and a bypass road links the western part of the city to the rest of the country, cutting out the congested eastern part of town. Roads via Leicester and along the coastal part of the Freetown peninsula have also been under reconstruction, work has been completed on roads through Aberdeen and Lumley including the beach road, and Regent Road from Wilberforce through Hill Station has been completed as a dual carriageway. Maintenance of other roads, however, is often very poor.

Getting In from the Airport

Freetown International Airport (FNA), also known as Lungi International Airport, is not in Freetown itself but in Lungi, on the other side of the estuary. A new airport terminal opened in 2023, and departure procedures, which used to be very difficult, are no longer a problem; facilities compare favourably with others in the region. There is a fee for use of the airport when entering or leaving.

Getting from the airport into the city is the part that needs planning, and the safety of the various operators has been questioned. Your options are:

A bridge across the estuary has been expected to start construction, which in time may change these arrangements, but until it opens the boat and ferry crossings remain the practical routes.

One security note worth acting on: because of possible thefts, especially when leaving the country, it is wise to carry anything of value in your cabin luggage, and having your checked baggage wrapped in cellophane at your point of origin is another good tactic.

Practical Tips

Sources

  1. Freetown
  2. Wikivoyage: Freetown
  3. Transforming public transportation in Sierra Leone

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