Kampala Transportation

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To get around Kampala, you have to take a "taxi", and I use the word loosely, because a taxi in Kampala is a shared 14 passenger bus called a Matatu that bounces up and down bumpy roads spewing diesel exhaust. And by 14 passenger van, I mean one actually holding 20 people. Once in the bus you brave the Kampala traffic, where there are many cars and literally no stop signs, signals, or anything else resembling order. Just to get to the fun, you have to go through two roundabouts at a snails pace. On the plus side, a matatu is much safer than a boda boda, which is a motorcycle with an extra seat squeezed on... in other words you're now going through the Kampala craziness without even a semblance of protection surrounding you.

If you can afford it, and enjoy your life and limbs, you might want to spring for a special hire, which is what we would normally call a taxi. These are expensive comparitively but why put a price on your safety.

Joking aside, matatus can be an effective way to get around if you're a brave soul, but unless you're the savviest of traveler you'll want to have a local or someone whose been in Kampala longer than you show you the ropes the first time, because figuring out which Matatu is going where and when to tell them to stop can be pretty confusing.

The Matatus I took went about 5 miles and cost 800 shillings for tourists, and 600 for locals. If you want to make a stink you can get the local price, but it might not be worth the hassle when you realize the difference is only about 10 cents.

If I remember right, it cost me about $15 US to go the same distance in a special hire. I never braved a boda boda. And I have both my arms to show for it.

The most cost and time effective way to get around Kampala is to get a private hire. You can stand on any street hold your hand out and one will show up in seconds. Negiate a price before going and off you go. It is a bit higher than the Matatu's ( vans that run like city buses) BUT you don't have to wait and wait for one to where you are going and possible switch matatus 2 or 3 times to get there. PRIVATE HIRES take you to your doorstep and we get one that will wait for us while you exchange $$, shop or whatever. Depends on what you want. Get one to town do your thing and then hire a different to get back. Very convenient as Kampala is a BIG, bustling city and if you have lots of shopping to do it is nice to have a private hire espeically if you really don't have too much time. All I have had are friendly, efficient guys trying to earn a decent living so I usually tip them too. I am putting on a picture of the taxi park to show you why it is nicer to take a private higher. That place is a mess!! You sit and wait until the van is full before leaving it gets real hot and uncomfortable. Very time consuming too.

Ever seen the movie 'Raid on Entebbe?'

At a corner of the airport in Entebbe, you can see the Boeing 707 that was involved in the actual terrorist incident originating in Israel in '76.

Cooper Complex has now become the 3rd taxi park. Minibus taxis bound for Ggaba, Kabalagala, Kansanga and Muyenga Tank Hill now depart from here.