Lusaka Transportation

If you travel on a tight budget you might want to use public transports to get around in Lusaka. Small toyota hiace buses takes up to 18 passengers and the bigger nissan buses takes around 35. It costs maybe ~1500 -3500 Kwacha (1/3-3/4 $) depending on the distance you want to go.
If going from for ex. Arcades to Kabulonga, it's much more convenient and faster to get a taxi for 30-40 pin (30000-40000 Kwacha). Otherwise, by bus, you have to go in to town, maybe you get stuck in traffic by Manda hill. Then, in town you have to catch up another bus heading for Kabulonga. A 30 min tour, minimum, at rush hour.

Here is an approximate google map of the bus routes in Lusaka, copy and past the entire address below:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=104901505365058672379.0004763723f0045fe4c0d&ll=-15.412312,28.310394&spn=0.120475,0.220757&t=h&z=12

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The direct bus from Lusaka to Lilongwe goes when it's full, maybe between 10 AM and 1 PM. The trip takes 13-14 hours. The price to Lilongwe is 150,000 Kwacha (30 USD). If you like to go to Chipata, buses leave Lusaka from early morning through to late afternoon (10-12 hours trip). According to Lonely Planet on the web, there are only three direct buses per week. I believe the bus I took goes every day.

The Great East Road highway goes mostly through rural and wilderness areas, and is linking Chipata and the Eastern Province with the rest of the country. It is only 3o minutes drive from Chipata to the Malawian border. The road is bitumen all the way with some bad potholed sections. The Great East Road has little traffic to be a regional road. The distance between Lusaka and Lilongwe is approx 750 km.

Lusaka is definately one of those cities where you need a car to get around. You can rent a rental car (which can be quite expensive) or hire a driver and his personal car for a negotiated rate. I suggest the latter, as their are a large number of marginally employed men looking for work.

Ask your hotel for possible details.

The best and cheapest way to get around in Lusaka is to use the minibuses. They don't really have some specific shcedules. You can catch one just by standing on one of the bus stops. A ride costs less than one dollar.

If you take a taxi, you should negotiate the price BEFORE getting in.

There are several buses between Lusaka and Livingstone every day. The buses leave when they are full, so there really is no exact schedule. Just go to the bus station and ask for prices and how full the bus is. A company called C.R. Holdings has good buses and the ticket costs 55.000 K.

Once again you have the ever present minibuses that carry a huge amount of people and can take you anywhere you want to in the city...if you are able to communicate with the operator or driver. The buses are blue and will basically stop anywhere they need to make their money. It's definitely the cheapest way to get around, besides walking.

Air:        British Airways, Virgin Airways, and KLM will all get you on the southern half of the continent. The former two will come through Johannesburg and Harare, usually. KLM will usually come through Nairobe.

Ground:        Within Lusaka I recommend Kabulamwanda Taxis, the only fleet taxi service in town with radios in the cars, and a reliable dispatch center. If you need a ride, call Kabulamwanda, tell them that Rob, Mulelo's chess partner referred you. +260 1 752432.
        The most common form of transportation in Lusaka is the mini-bus. These are road hazards of the worst variety, but very inexpensive and they can get you anywhere within the city and it's outskirts. To catch one, simply stand anywhere on a road, watch for a mini-bus or minivan with a guy hanging out the side yelling the current destination. The horn will be sounding, and you must signal by holding your hand outstretched, palm downward, and tapping the air as if you were trying to put out a minute fire. It is a good idea to know the going rate prior to boarding, otherwise you may not get any change back. Be prepared to be one of up to 25 passengers in a bus meant to hold eight.

Between Lusaka and Livingstone:        From the 'intercity terminal' in Lusaka, there are buses that travel daily to Livingstone, loading at 5:00 or 5:30 a.m., and arriving in the early to mid-afternoon. The cost is less than $10 USD. And it's the fastest non-air vehicle.

Between Lusaka and Livingstone, by rail:        There is a nice alternative to the bus, and that is an overnight train to the Falls. It departs Friday night and arrives Saturday morning. Take a first class sleeper car for abut $20 USD for a return (round-trip) ticket. The cabin sleeps four, so if you have three buddies, that would be best. The train returns to Lusaka in time for a late arrival at work on Monday.

Lusaka is served by a relatively small international airport but it is still possible to get there from Europe and other regional centres.
There are bus connections from all parts of Zambia as well as South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Tanzania. Buses leave from different parts of town, so you need some local advice on who leaves from where.
Getting around Lusaka can be a bit trying because some main routes aren't served by the local minibuses, so you have to walk or taxi to link up in some areas. Public minibuses are painted blue and white and drive as all minibuses do in Africa, with little respect for anyone else and can be flagged down from the side of the road. They can also be caught from several stations in Lusaka central. The different stations correspond to where you want to go. The two main stations are at City Market or opposite the Town Centre Market. Ask locals to find out the best place to catch the bus you want.
Offical taxi's are painted blue and you need to haggle to get a good fare.