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Voykit pocket guide · Senegal
Thies
Thiès
Skip Thies unless you have a specific reason to visit the monastery or the railway; a half-day from Dakar is enough, but most travellers should spend that time on the coast.
Thies is Senegal's third-largest city and a transport junction 60 km east of Dakar. It has a lively market and a notable Benedictine monastery with kora music, but the city itself has few sights that compete with the Petite Côte or Saint-Louis. Most visitors pass through on the way to other destinations.
- Country
- Senegal
- Local name
- Thiès
- Best months
- Nov–May
- Avoid
- Jul–Sep (rainy season)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- XOF
- Money
- Currency is the West African CFA franc (XOF), shared with seven other West African states and pegged to the euro (655.957 XOF = €1).
- Daily spend
- Budget CFA 10,000–15,000 excl. bed · Mid CFA 20,000–30,000 excl. bed · High CFA 40,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, Free and Expresso sell SIMs at the airport and shops; passport registration required.
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Fire 18 · SAMU (ambulance) 1515
- Plugs
- Types C, D, E, K · 230 V · 50 Hz · European two-pin plugs fit almost everywhere; power cuts are rare in Dakar, commoner elsewhere.
- Tipping
- Street food: Nothing.; Restaurant: 5–10% where no service is added.; Driver or guide day: 5,000–10,000 XOF.; Hotel porter: 500–1,000 XOF.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap for visitors. Bottled water (Kirène) everywhere; sachets are local practice.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants; squat toilets and buckets on the road. Carry tissues and hand gel.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Taxi ride within city | CFA 500–600 |
| Train Thies–Dakar (one way) | CFA 1,500 (check) |
| Meal at a local restaurant | CFA 2,000–5,000 |
| Hotel room (basic single) | CFA 7,000–15,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- DSS · Blaise Diagne International Airport (Dakar)
- About 1 h by car or taxi; no direct public transport
Typical fares
- Taxi centre → gare routière
- CFA 600
- Train Thies → Dakar
- about CFA 1,500 (check)
- Taxi Thies → Keur Moussa Abbey
- CFA 5,000–8,000 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Taxis are plentiful; most rides within the city cost 500–600 CFA. The city is walkable in the centre, but the gare routière (southern bus station) is a 600 CFA taxi ride from the centre.
See and do
Known for
- Keur Moussa Abbey (Benedictine monastery with kora music)
- Railway junction (Dakar–Bamako and Saint-Louis lines)
- Grand Marché
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Keur Moussa Abbey | Taxi from Thies centre, about 30 min west | About 1 h return |
| Dakar | Train or sept-place (shared taxi), about 1 h | About 1 h |
| Popenguine | Taxi or sept-place, about 45 min south-west | About 1 h |
Sleep
- City centre (near Avenue Lamine Gueye)
- Closest to restaurants and the market; basic hotels only.
- Near the railway station
- Convenient for onward train travel; fewer eating options.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbohn-zhoor |
| Thank you | Mercimair-see |
| How much? | Combien ?kom-byen |
| Where is the market? | Où est le marché ?oo ay luh mar-shay |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Long greetings: peace, family, health, work; avoid: Jumping straight to business
- Hands: Right hand for giving, receiving and eating; avoid: Left hand for food or money
- Teranga (hospitality): Accept tea and a little food when offered; avoid: Refusing flatly
- Religious leaders: Speak respectfully of marabouts and brotherhood founders; avoid: Jokes about religion
- Bargaining: Laugh, counter, take your time; avoid: Anger or walking off rudely
- Photos: Ask, and accept a no; avoid: Shooting women and children without consent
Scams and watch-outs
- The train from Dakar runs once daily and may be delayed; check the schedule at the station.
- The monastery (Keur Moussa) is 23 km west of Thies: you need a taxi or your own transport.
- Markets and bus stations can be chaotic; keep valuables secure.
Thies is generally safe, but take standard precautions against pickpocketing in markets and at bus stations. Avoid walking alone after dark in poorly lit areas.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Thies yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Keur Moussa Abbey (Benedictine monastery with kora music)
- Railway junction (Dakar–Bamako and Saint-Louis lines)
- Grand Marché
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Thies, revision 5010367 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5010367
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/thies). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.