Gabon Taxis and Car Rental

There are plenty of taxis serving the main towns of Gabon. Sharing a cab with another others is common practice, and fares vary from place to place depending on the distance covered. Carrefour IAI and Bombouchine have taxi stands around Libreville. You can also take bush taxis for longer trips.

Renting a car is an efficient way to travel if you are comfortable driving in a foreign country. Many roads in Gabon are paved and well-maintained, but there are also a lot of dirt roads that become impassable during the wet season. Be sure to rent a four-wheel drive vehicle when venturing into thick forests and traveling outside of major cities to avoid getting stuck where there are no roads at all. Many different rental providers serve Gabon, most of which are based in Libreville. Europcar (+241-760-140) is one with outlets at the airport and elsewhere in the city. Alamo (+241-1-790-2682) also offers services, as do other well-known international companies like Avis (+241-745-845) and Hertz (+241-732-011). Chauffeured cars may also be rented if you want the convenience of a personal driver while in Gabon.

Gabon Water Taxis

Ferries and boats travel along Gabon’s Atlantic coast, as well down the Ogooué River to Lambarene. Daily trips are available between Libreville and Port Gentil. There are also river journeys from Port Gentil to Lambarene, although they are not on any set schedule. You can catch weekly boat transfers between Port Gentil and the town of Omboué, which is a good base for visiting the Loango National Park. The trip can take anywhere from three to five hours, depending on the type of vessel and engine used.

Gabon Trains and Buses

Rail travel in Gabon will definitely save you travel time. There are trains between Owendo and Franceville, but only a few times per week. There are also overnight trains between Libreville (Owendo Station) and Franceville for those that wish to ride through the night. The line stops at key cities including Ndjolé, Lopé, Booué, Ivindo, Lastoursville, and Moanda, before reaching Franceville. The trip usually takes 12 to 18 hours.

Buses are a reliable means to get from point A to point B within the cities. Some lines also run to neighboring towns, and companies are gradually widening their routes to serve more areas.

Of course, flying is still the most convenient means of long-distance travel. Currently, Allegiance Gabon offers domestic flights from Libreville Airport to Franceville, Port Gentil, Oyem, Tchibanga, and Sao Tomé.