From the airport to the city centre Gabon
At Libreville airport, if you haven't made arrangements with a pick-up and transfer operator (hotel, travel agency or service provider), take a cab parked just outside the airport. Negotiate well before you get in, be firm and don't give in if on arrival you're told the fare is higher. In this case, expect to pay around 3,000 FCFA to the city center, or more if you need to get to a point on the other side of town. The other practical solution is to use the Gozem application, with which you won't have any unpleasant price surprises, as the price is indicated before you place your order. The fare is a little more expensive, but the service is safe and professional.
At São Tomé airport, you'll also find cabs at the exit, if you haven't arranged your hotel transfer. The fare is around 400 STN. The fare is doubled at night.
Arrival by boat Gabon
In Gabon, several river companies such as Logimar241 and NGV connect the main coastal towns of Libreville and Port-Gentil. For shorter crossings, pirogues are used: Port-Gentil - Omboué, Gamba - Sette Cama, Port-Gentil - Lambaréné, but comfort is minimal and the pirogue is often not covered. Under the torrential waters of the rainy season, the journey can seem long, very long!
To get to Príncipe or the islands around São Tomé, sea transport is available through private operators. In fact, there is a weekly boat service between São Tomé and Príncipe. However, the crossing is rough, long and not recommended.
Public transport Gabon
Cabs are an economical, reliable and fast way to get around town. As for bush cabs, they travel from one town to another and link them together. Conditions are rustic and safety uncertain, given the state of the roads and the drivers' haste to reach their destination! For longer journeys, all cabs are parked at PK8, the bus station opposite the banana market. From Libreville, you can reach the following destinations by bush cab: Kango, Lambaréné, Fougamou, Mouila, Ndendé, Tchibanga, Mayumba.
City buses run throughout Libreville, while others link the main towns. In Libreville, you can take a free bus from the state-owned Trans'urb company, which criss-crosses the various districts of the capital. You can now take the bus from Libreville (PK8) to Lambaréné, Kango, Makokou, Oyem and Mouila. There is also a Rio - Ntoum line. Some hotels have their own minibuses and offer to transfer guests from Libreville to Lambaréné, for example.
Bike, scooters & co Gabon
Two-wheelers are almost non-existent in Gabon, whereas in São Tomé they are an easy and inexpensive mode of transport. Bicycles, scooters and motorcycles can be rented for between €15 and €25 a day. Hitchhiking is not a common practice, but can be considered if you have plenty of time. However, it works well in Príncipe, where there is no public transport, but won't get you to the island's most beautiful beaches, so it's best to rent a good car from some hotels.
With a driver Gabon
Several types of cab can take you in and out of Gabon's cities. They can be recognized by their incessant honking, their color and the number on the side of the car. Libreville cabs, sedans or taxi-buses, are red and white, while those based in Owendo (to the far south of Libreville) are blue and white. The latter also take passengers from one part of Libreville to another. They'll stop anywhere as soon as a customer beckons, which often leads to last-minute lurching. Smart tip: sit in the front if you don't want to find yourself stuck with several people in the back.
There are also clandos, without a license or the distinctive number of a registered cab. It's best to avoid problems and use legal vehicles. There are enough of them that you won't have to wait long for them.
In town, cabs will drop you off for around 1,000 FCFA a ride, but it all depends on your destination. If you're in a hurry (rare in Gabon!), don't know your route well or simply don't feel like sharing a cab, you can offer the driver a "ride" for 5,000 to 6,000 FCFA, depending on distance and time of day, with the price doubling in the evening. In this case, the journey is direct and the driver does not pick up any other passengers.
But you should always negotiate the fare before you get in: announce, for example, "a 1,000 fare to downtown" or, more directly, "500 to Mbolo". If the cab accepts, it honks. If he refuses, he'll nod his head or start off again with a "tchip".
By car Gabon
For those wishing to travel by car, the state of the tracks makes it absolutely necessary to hire a 4x4, and we recommend travelling during the dry season. However, the road network is gradually being upgraded throughout the country, and some routes are in much better condition. Roads are dangerous, partly because of logging trucks. As they are a source of road insecurity, they are banned from the roads every evening after 6pm, as well as on Saturdays and Sundays.
Bring two spare wheels for long journeys. A rule to remember: distances are not significant, so it's best to find out how long a journey will take to evaluate a trip. After that, it all depends on who's answering your questions: foresters and drivers go fast on the tracks and sometimes break records on journeys that would take you twice as long!
The inadequacy of Gabon's road network is a major handicap to inland traffic and, consequently, to the development of tourism. Some regions are inaccessible from time to time, while others regularly pose problems for anyone venturing onto their tracks, whatever the season. The high volume of logging traffic, coupled with the climate, partly explains the deterioration of the roads, with the lack of maintenance or the chaotic or non-existent repair of the networks exacerbating the situation. However, there are a few roads of stable quality (good or poor), due to regular maintenance or the quality of the surface.
Before setting off, it is important to find out about the condition of the roads, which varies greatly according to the season and the work involved (from foresters or certain travel agencies who usually make the journey), and to set off with several vehicles.
On some parts of the network, fog arrives at the end of the day and makes driving difficult: plan stages to avoid having to drive after 5pm.
Petrol is not available in all towns. It's a good idea to carry extra supplies and fill up at designated stations.
São Tomé presents no major difficulties for getting around by car, which you can hire locally and drive yourself if you wish.
Accessibility Gabon
Getting around Gabon is very difficult, and even locals rarely know of more than three cities in the country. As a general rule, transport in Gabon can be a surprise. The road network, although beginning to develop, often becomes impassable in the rainy season, while the main roads remain much safer. There are several reasons for this: not all the network is tarred, and poorly maintained tracks quickly deteriorate, particularly when subjected to the passage of logging trucks, which travel at very high speeds with their heavy loads. Note that it is now possible to reach Port-Gentil by road, via the new 95 km Omboué - Port-Gentil axis, linked by two bridges. You should also know that the Transgabonaise project is currently underway, but has been slow in coming to fruition. This future expressway will link Libreville to Franceville, and involves the renovation of 780 km of roads, including the N1 and N3.
Maritime transport depends on tide times, so departure and arrival times are approximate. Always check the day before for confirmation.
Afrijet is currently the fastest and most reliable means of transport, often ahead of schedule. Domestic routes remain expensive, especially on short, frequently-used routes such as Libreville-Port-Gentil.
In São Tomé and Príncipe, distances are very short, but a small 4x4 will get you everywhere. Some stretches of road are in poor condition and poorly signposted, particularly in the southern part of the island. Cabs are an economical and reliable solution in town. The most practical option is to hire a car or motorcycle, with a driver who also acts as a guide.
