Getting from Kigali International Airport to the city

The meter is the law

• A taxi meter is a licensing requirement for a taxi cab in Rwanda, under Passengers Road Transport Regulation 007/TRANS/RT/RURA/2015, article 10.
• The meters are Intelligent Connected Fare Meters, reporting online to RURA, the regulator, to Yego, the licensed installer, and to the Rwanda National Police.
• So asking for the meter is asking for the thing the driver is required to have, and the number it produces is logged somewhere neither of you controls.

From the terminal

• Kigali International sits about 10 km east of the centre, in Kanombe. This is a short ride, not an expedition.
• Arrange transport in advance where you can. Hotels here arrange airport pickups as a matter of course and the FCDO's advice is to book rather than flag down.

The moto, and your insurance

• Motorbike taxis are the fastest thing on Kigali's hills and they wait outside arrivals like everywhere else in the city.
• The Rwanda Development Board says directly that travel insurance may not cover motorbike taxis. Most policies exclude riding pillion, or exclude it above a certain engine size.
• The FCDO rates minibus and motorbike taxis as very vulnerable to accidents.
• Take the helmet. There is a spare and it is required.

Getting around afterwards

• Kigali's buses run on a smart card called Tap and Go. No cash fares.
• Shared minibuses are the country's main public transport.
• There is no rail network anywhere in Rwanda.

Before you get to any of that

• Plastic bags are confiscated at the airport. Rwanda's ban has been in force since 2008 and it is enforced on arriving passengers. Repack duty free bags, packing bags and bin liners before you fly.
• A visa is issued at the desk to citizens of every country, free for 30 days for African Union, Commonwealth and Francophonie members.