Liberia Travel Guide - Getting Around

There are 60 airfields for small aircraft and a total of 53 airports, although only two have paved runways.

There is a passenger service between ports in Monrovia and Buchanan. There is also a boat service which runs weekly between Harper and Greenville. Unscheduled coastal steamers may sometimes take passengers. Small craft are used for local transportation on Liberia’s many rivers.

Canoe safaris: Between December and March, specialist companies arrange canoe trips upriver from Greenville, a small seaport 200km (125 miles) southeast of Monrovia. Contact the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism for further details (see Contact Addresses).

Inoperable due to damage suffered during the civil war.

Traffic drives on the right. Difficulties in bypassing lagoons and bridging river estuaries often result in long detours and delays along the coast. Main roads are from Monrovia to Buchanan and from Monrovia to Sanniquellie with branches to Ganta and Harper. Paved roads that are in reasonable condition run between Monrovia and Roberts International Airport, the Sierra Leone border at Bo Waterside and the Guinea border at Ganta. Many of the smaller roads are still untarred. Vehicle transport is limited.

Bus: No services between main towns at present, but the Canadian government donated 25 buses in 2006 which the Liberian government had to fund freight costs for.

Car hire: Self-drive or chauffeured cars may be hired in Monrovia.

Documentation: An International Driving Permit is recommended, although it is not legally required. A temporary licence to drive is available from local authorities on presentation of a valid UK or US driving licence and is valid for up to 30 days.

Taxis are available and tipping is unnecessary. Public transport (including taxis) may be neither reliable nor safe.