Tanzania
Getting around Tanzania: trains, buses, driving and domestic flights
Fly between regions and drive only inside a park: light aircraft save a full day each way on the northern circuit, while the SGR train covers Dar es Salaam to Dodoma in about 4 hours. Take buses by day, use Bolt in towns, and book ferries at the port office. Skip long road transfers if you have under two weeks.
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GuideTanzania
Key facts
- Best for the northern circuit
- Light aircraft between Arusha and Serengeti airstrips, US$250–450 one way
- Best for Dar es Salaam – Dodoma
- SGR electric train, about 4 hours, TZS 40,000–70,000 (check)
- Best for Dar es Salaam – Zanzibar
- Azam Marine fast ferry, about 2 hours, US$35–60
- Domestic flights
- US$80–250 between main towns; reconfirm the day before
- Long-distance buses
- Arusha – Dar es Salaam 9–11 hours, TZS 40,000–60,000; by law they run in daylight
- Safari 4x4
- US$250–350 per vehicle per day including driver and fuel; park fees extra
- In towns
- Bolt in Dar es Salaam and Arusha; bajaji and boda-boda TZS 2,000–10,000
- Luggage on light aircraft
- 15 kg soft bags including hand luggage
- Driving yourself
- Possible on main roads; not recommended for park circuits — check
- Rail passes
- No national rail or bus pass; buy single tickets — check
Which mode fits your trip
Match the mode to the distance, not to the budget alone. A short northern-circuit trip is almost always faster and cheaper in time by flying between Arusha and the Serengeti strips; a Dar es Salaam to Dodoma run is best on the SGR; Zanzibar is a ferry or a one-hour flight from Dar es Salaam.
| Route | Best mode | Time | 2026 estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arusha – Serengeti airstrips | Light aircraft (Coastal, Auric, Air Excel, Regional) | 1–1.5 h | US$250–450 one way |
| Arusha – central Serengeti | Safari 4x4 with driver-guide | 7–9 h | US$250–350 per vehicle per day |
| Dar es Salaam – Dodoma | SGR train | About 4 h | TZS 40,000–70,000 (check) |
| Dar es Salaam – Zanzibar | Azam Marine fast ferry | About 2 h | US$35–60 |
| JRO – Zanzibar | Domestic flight | About 1 h | US$80–250 |
| Dar es Salaam – Ruaha | Domestic flight | About 1.5 h | US$80–250 |
| Arusha – Dar es Salaam | Long-distance bus | 9–11 h | TZS 40,000–60,000 |
| Dar es Salaam – New Kapiri Mposhi | TAZARA train | About 2 days | US$40–70 first class (check) |
| Around town | Bolt, bajaji, boda-boda | Minutes | TZS 2,000–10,000 |
Park entry, vehicle and driver fees are charged separately at each gate on top of the 4x4 day rate.
Step by step
Book the long legs first. Light aircraft seats on the Arusha–Serengeti–Zanzibar routes sell out in high season, and the 15 kg soft-bag limit applies to everything you carry on board, hand luggage included. If your itinerary hops between strips, expect an early start and several short landings.
For the SGR, buy at the station or through the official app; the electric line runs Dar es Salaam through Morogoro, useful for Mikumi, to Dodoma. Extensions west toward Tabora and Mwanza are still under construction, so treat any through-service claim as unconfirmed (check).
For TAZARA, services were suspended and resumed in 2026 on a reduced weekly schedule; delays of many hours are normal, so do not build a tight connection after it (check).
Buses are cheap and cover the country, but they run by day only by law and speeding is a real risk. Choose a reputable operator, take a morning departure, and keep your bag with you. In Dar es Salaam and Arusha, Bolt gives fixed prices; bajaji and boda-boda are cheaper but many boda-bodas have no spare helmet.
On the coast, buy ferry tickets at the official office inside the port. Touts outside sell the same seats at inflated prices. Domestic flights on Air Tanzania, Precision and the small charter airlines connect the main towns; schedules change often, so reconfirm the day before.
Notes
Park gates open 06:00–18:00 and late exits are fined; Ngorongoro crater descents close by 16:00 (check). Plan half a day between parks because the tracks are corrugated.
Tap water is not drinkable; lodges provide filtered water. Plugs are type D and G at 230 V, UK three-pin most common. Toilets are western in hotels and lodges, long-drops at some gates and picnic sites.
Government offices close on public holidays, and on Zanzibar many local restaurants close by day during Ramadan. Carry small cash for fuel stops and gate fees; ATMs are in towns but limited in parks.
FAQ
Questions people ask
What is the best way to get around Tanzania?
Fly between regions and drive inside parks. Light aircraft cover Arusha to the Serengeti in 1–1.5 hours for US$250–450 one way; the SGR train does Dar es Salaam to Dodoma in about 4 hours. Use buses for cheap overland legs by day, and Bolt in towns.
Do I need a car in Tanzania?
No for a standard trip. Safari 4x4s come with a driver-guide, and towns have Bolt, bajaji and boda-boda. Self-driving works on main roads but is not recommended for park circuits, where gates, fees and corrugated tracks favour a local driver (check).
Are there rail or bus passes for Tanzania?
No national rail or bus pass is sold. Buy single tickets: SGR at the station or official app, TAZARA per journey, and bus tickets from the operator or depot. Ferry tickets are bought at the official port office in Dar es Salaam (check).
How long does the ferry from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar take?
About 2 hours on the Azam Marine fast ferries, which run several times daily. Expect US$35–60 one way. Buy at the official ticket office inside the port; touts outside sell overpriced tickets.
How much luggage can I take on a domestic flight?
Light aircraft on the safari circuit usually allow 15 kg of soft bags including hand luggage. Hard cases do not fit the holds. Pack a soft duffel and leave the rest in Arusha or Dar es Salaam.
Is it safe to take long-distance buses in Tanzania?
Buses are cheap and extensive but speeding and crashes are a known risk. They run by day only by law. Choose a reputable operator, take a morning departure, and avoid tight onward connections.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialTanzania Railways Corporation (SGR)
- officialTAZARA
- officialTanzania Airports Authority
- officialTanzania National Parks (TANAPA)
- secondaryWikivoyage – Tanzania