Kigali airport to town, on a regulated meter
Taxis run on connected fare meters that RURA, Yego and the police can all see, which turns the arrival kerb into a fare rather than a negotiation.
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, and they report online to RURA, the regulator, to Yego, the licensed installer, and to the Rwanda National Police.
- Which means the fare is computed and logged. Ask for the meter; you are asking for the thing the driver is required to have.
From the airport
- Kigali International is about 10 km east of the centre, in Kanombe, so this is a short run rather than an expedition.
- Arrange transport in advance where you can. The FCDO's advice for Rwanda is to book rather than flag down, and hotels arrange airport pickups as a matter of course.
- Motorbike taxis wait outside too, and they are the fastest thing on Kigali's hills. Read the insurance section below before you take one with luggage.
Getting around town afterwards
- Kigali's buses run on a smart card called Tap and Go. There is no cash fare on the city buses.
- Shared minibuses are the most popular public transport in the country, and the FCDO describes them and the motorbike taxis as very vulnerable to accidents.
- There is no rail network anywhere in Rwanda.
Motorbike taxis and your insurance
The RDB says outright that travel insurance may not cover motorbike taxis. Check your policy before, not after.
The warning, from the tourist board itself
- "Travel insurance may not cover motorbike taxis, which are also common." That is the Rwanda Development Board's own wording, on its own practical information page.
- Most travel policies exclude riding on a motorcycle, sometimes entirely, sometimes above a certain engine size, sometimes unless you hold a motorcycle licence. Read the exclusions clause before you land, not from a hospital bed.
If you ride anyway
- Take the helmet. Kigali motos carry a spare and it is a legal requirement.
- The FCDO rates both minibus and motorbike taxis as very vulnerable to accidents. That is the assessment, not a caution.
- Motos are metered too, under the same connected fare meter regime.
Driving yourself
- You need a 1949 International Driving Permit and your own licence in the vehicle.
- Third-party insurance is compulsory, and covers injuries even where you are not at fault.
- If you are suspected of causing an accident your licence can be confiscated for the investigation, and a fatal accident can mean a jail sentence.
- Main routes are well surfaced but deteriorate in the rains, February to May and September to December, when landslides are a risk. Secondary roads are unlit after dark.
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