Transportation in Namibia
Roads in Namibia are in good condition. The main routes are paved, and those that are secondary are laid with well-graded gravel. You don't need to drive around in an all-wheel drive vehicle unless you're travelling on the Skeleton Coast or on tertiary roads.
Namibia has nine border posts with its neighbouring countries of Botswana, Angola, South Africa and Zambia.
This Namibia Transportation Guide gives details about both getting to and from Namibia, as well as getting around once you are there. You may also find our and Namibia Country Guide and Namibia Destination Guides useful when planning your trip to Namibia. Also take a look at our exciting Namibia tours to help in exploring this fascinating country. For local Namibia travel information in our current destinations follow the links below to the destinations transportation page. We currently have transportation information for:
- Caprivi Strip
- Coastal Namibia
- Etosha & North Namibia
- Sossusvlei & South Namibia
- Windhoek & Central Namibia
Namibia Transportation Guide
Getting to Namibia
By Plane
Most visitors fly in to the Hosea Kutako International Airport, which lies east of Windhoek and is a 45 minute drive from the city. Air Namibia flies tourists to this airport from London, Frankfurt, Cape Town, Victoria Falls, Johannesburg and Maun. You can also fly to Cape Town from the smaller Eros Airport. If you're coming in from South Africa, you can fly South African Airways or the no-frills flights from Kulula.com.
By Bus
If you prefer to bus it to Namibia, you can try the international bus service that runs from Victoria Falls and Cape Town. You can also get a bus from Johannesburg. For fares and schedules, check the Intercape Mainliner. If you're in Botswana, you can travel to Namibia by bus, although you will need to change buses. Or you could combine hitchhiking with combies (shared or long-distance taxis).
By Train
Unfortunately, the train option is no longer available, whether you're travelling into the country or out of it. TransNamib's frequent overnight train service, which used to transport visitors to Windhoek from Upington in South Africa, is no longer operating.
Getting Around Namibia
By Car
Travel in Namibia involves long distances, but most people prefer travelling by land to flying. That's because the road conditions are good. However, avoid driving by night as the roads are occupied by wildlife. It's left hand drive in Namibia.
If you want to consult a Namibian about the time it will take you to drive to a certain place, remember that Namibians are used to driving very fast on un-tarred roads, and may not be able to give you a fair idea.
