Chad Travel Guide - Getting There

Airlines serving Chad include Air France, Cameroon Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines.

From Paris to N’Djaména is 5 hours 30 minutes. There are no direct flights or good connections for those travelling from London.

N’Djaména (NDJ) is 4km (2.5 miles) northwest of the city. To/from the airport: Taxis are available, operating 24 hours. Facilities: Post office, car hire, refreshments and bar, as well as restaurants.

XAF5,000 (tourist tax) and XAF3,000 (security tax). Students and transit passengers continuing their journey within 24 hours are exempt.

There is no railway network in Chad. There have been long-standing plans for a rail link with Cameroon but construction is not yet underway.

There are routes from Cameroon, Central African Republic, Niger and Nigeria. The border between Cameroon and Chad is the River Logone, which flows into Lake Chad. Boats ply across the river (there is no bridge). Access from Nigeria is via a sliver of northern Cameroon. There is a road from N’Djaména via Sarh to the Central African Republic. The road from N’Djaména to Maidguri in Niger is paved.

Roads can be inaccessible during the rainy season and the best time to travel by road is between November and May.

It is not possible, or advisable, to cross the border from Sudan. Care should be taken when travelling in the area around the border with Cameroon as there have been reports of armed bandits. 

Minibuses and bush taxis operate between N’Djaména and Kousséri in Cameroon. Rudimentary public transport is available to the Central African Republic, Niger and Nigeria, although it may be necessary to change vehicles at the border.