🛫 How to Get There

✈️ Flying to Sierra Leone

Main Airport

Freetown International Airport (FNA), still universally called Lungi after the small coastal town it sits in, is the country’s only international gateway. A new terminal opened in March 2023, taking the airport from a notoriously tired single shed to a properly modern facility. The runway is 3,200 metres of tarmac built by the British in the 1940s. Immigration and customs after a long-haul arrival typically take 20–40 minutes, longer when two wide-bodies land within an hour of each other.

The geography catch: Lungi sits on the north shore of the Sierra Leone Estuary, and Freetown sits on the south shore. The bay in between is six kilometres wide. By road, the journey is 130 kilometres around the head of the estuary through Port Loko and takes 4–5 hours. Almost no one does it. Everyone uses a water taxi instead (see the next section).

Direct and connecting flights:

• Brussels (BRU): 6h 50min direct with Brussels Airlines (SN241), 5–6 times per week — the only direct year-round service from Europe
• Casablanca (CMN): 5h 10min with Royal Air Maroc, 4–5 weekly flights — the most common connection from Paris, London, and North America
• Istanbul (IST): 7h 30min with Turkish Airlines, 4 weekly flights via Conakry — broad European connections
• Addis Ababa (ADD): 8h 55min with Ethiopian Airlines (ET943) via Monrovia, 4 weekly flights — the African continental routing
• Lomé (LFW): daily with ASKY Airlines (KP22) — the West African regional hub
• Abidjan / Dakar / Banjul / Accra: regional routes operated by ASKY and other West African carriers

Typical journey times from origin:

• London → Freetown: 9–13 hours via Brussels or Casablanca
• New York → Freetown: 14–18 hours via Casablanca or Brussels
• Stockholm → Freetown: 11–14 hours via Brussels or Istanbul
• Dubai → Freetown: 15–18 hours via Istanbul or Addis Ababa

⚓️ From Lungi Airport to Freetown — the Famous Crossing

This is one of the more memorable airport transfers anywhere on earth. The Sierra Leone Estuary opens out between Lungi and Freetown for six kilometres, and the only sensible way across is by boat. Almost every visitor uses the same operator: Sea Coach Express.

Sea Coach Express Water Taxi

Sea Coach Express has been the established airport water taxi since 2009 and meets every international arrival. A short shuttle bus collects passengers from the airport terminal and drives 15 minutes to the Lungi jetty at Tagrin Point. The crossing itself takes 25–35 minutes by enclosed catamaran and lands at Aberdeen Marina in Freetown, where most of the city’s hotels are within five minutes. The one-way adult fare includes the shuttle bus on both sides. Tickets can be bought online in advance or at the Sea Coach desk in arrivals; book ahead during peak season (November–April).

By Road Around the Bay

The alternative is a 130-kilometre road journey via Port Loko, Pamlap, Lungi Junction, and over the Sierra Leone River bridge at Songo. The drive takes 4–5 hours in dry weather, longer during the May–October rainy season when stretches turn to mud. This route is mostly used by tour operators with their own vehicles when transferring large groups with luggage that does not fit on the catamarans, or when severe weather closes the bay. Fares for a private 4x4 with driver are quoted on enquiry. The road itself is mostly tarmac but slow.

Helicopter Transfer (discontinued)

An MI-8 helicopter service from Paramount Airlines used to make the crossing in 7 minutes, but the service was suspended after a fatal 2007 accident and has never restarted. Anyone who tells you to book a helicopter is working from a guidebook two decades out of date.

🛂 Visa & Entry Requirements

Yellow Fever

A valid yellow fever vaccination certificate is required by law for entry. The vaccine takes 10 days to become effective, so do not leave it to the final week before departure. The certificate is checked at the eVisa application stage and again on arrival; visitors without one have been turned back at Lungi.

🚗 Getting Around the Country

Roads & Inter-City Travel

The main paved road network runs Freetown – Waterloo – Mile 91 – Bo – Kenema and is in good condition. Freetown to Bo takes around 3–3.5 hours by private car; Bo to Kenema is another 1.5 hours. Onward to Kailahun, Koidu, and Makeni the road quality drops to mixed tarmac and laterite. The Freetown – Conakry road via Pamlap is paved on the Sierra Leone side. The Liberian border road via Bo Waterside is rough but driveable in dry season.

Shared Bush Taxis & Sprinter Vans

Inter-city movement happens overwhelmingly in shared taxis and Toyota HiAce vans (locally just “poda-poda” even on long routes). Vehicles depart from designated park lots in Freetown (Lumley Park or Wilberforce for the south, Eastern Park for upcountry) when they are full — not on a timetable. Fares are fixed by the Ministry of Transport and posted at the park. Pack light, plan for an early-morning departure, and accept that “leaves at 7am” usually means around 9.

Domestic Flights

Sierra Leone has no significant scheduled domestic airline service. Eagle Air operates an occasional charter on a single Let 410 from Hastings Airfield south of Freetown to Bo and Kenema, primarily for business and NGO clients; it is not a useful service for general tourism. For most visitors, the road is the way.

Car with Driver

Hiring a 4x4 with a local driver is the most comfortable option for upcountry travel and is what most international visitors use. Daily rates include fuel and driver for a Toyota RAV4 or similar, more for a serious 4x4. Hotels in Aberdeen and Lumley can arrange this with reliable contractors; small operators like Yeama Leone Tours handle multi-day country tours including driver, vehicle, and accommodation.

🚋 Getting Around Freetown

Poda-Poda (Shared Minibus)

The cheapest and most local way to move around the city. Poda-podas are decommissioned minibuses running fixed routes between Aberdeen, Lumley, the city centre, Wilberforce, Wellington, Waterloo, and the eastern suburbs. Conductors hang out the side door shouting the destination. Flag one down, get on, hand the fare forward. Fixed fares for shorter hops; longer cross-city journeys cost a bit more. They do not run after dark.

Kekeh (Three-Wheel Tricycle)

The Sierra Leonean equivalent of the South Asian tuk-tuk, kekehs run shared and chartered. Shared rides within the same neighbourhood are very cheap; chartering one for yourself is still inexpensive for short cross-town trips. Kekehs are nimble in Freetown traffic and the best option after dark on short trips when poda-podas have stopped running.

Okada (Motorcycle Taxi)

Okada motorcycle taxis are everywhere and the fastest way through Freetown rush-hour traffic. Cross-neighbourhood fares are very low. They are also the most dangerous — helmets are usually unavailable for the passenger and Sierra Leone has the world’s worst road-traffic mortality rate. Most foreign visitors avoid okadas except where there is no alternative.

Taxi (Chartered)

Shared yellow taxis run fixed routes with a small per-leg fare. Chartering a regular taxi for a private trip across town varies with distance and your bargaining. Always agree the fare before getting in — no meters anywhere. Your hotel can book a reliable driver by phone in 10–15 minutes.

🚋 Driving in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone drives on the right side of the road — one of the few former British colonies that does not drive on the left. Vehicles are predominantly left-hand drive and reach the country secondhand from Europe, the US, and the UAE. The main Freetown – Bo – Kenema highway is fully paved and in good condition. Beyond it, the network is mixed.

Key Driving Notes

• Drive on the right: The same as continental Europe and the US
• Speed limits: 30–40 km/h in Freetown, 80 km/h on open highways, 50 km/h through villages
• Roads: Main highway network (Freetown–Bo–Kenema) is excellent; rural and provincial roads vary from tarmac to deep red laterite
• Licence: An international driving permit alongside your home licence is recommended for stays over 30 days
• Fuel: Total and NP stations operate widely; petrol prices fluctuate with global markets
• Watch for: Pedestrians and okada motorcycles, unmarked speed bumps at every village entrance, goats crossing without warning, and police checkpoints (always polite, papers ready)

💰 Money-Saving Tips

• Fly Brussels Airlines direct: The Brussels – Freetown nonstop is often the same price or cheaper than two-stop alternatives via Casablanca or Istanbul, with one less connection to miss
• Book the round-trip Sea Coach: Sea Coach Express offers a return ticket at a small discount over two singles — useful even for short trips since you will be making the same crossing on the way out
• Apply for the eVisa early: The standard fee is the same whether you apply weeks ahead or two days before departure, but rushed applications miss the three-day processing window and force last-minute scrambling
• Use poda-podas and kekehs in Freetown: A cross-city poda-poda ride is a tiny fraction of the equivalent taxi fare, and is far closer to the everyday rhythm of the city
• Hire one driver for multi-day country tours: A single driver booked for several days is typically cheaper per day than hiring different drivers for each leg, and you benefit from accumulating local knowledge
• Pay in leones where possible: Tourist services often quote in US dollars but accept leones at the day’s rate. Paying in local currency removes the operator’s exchange margin

🔗 Useful Links