In this blog I offer you 5 travel tips for when you want to use public transport in Ghana. This blog post is the second in a series about travelling in Ghana by public transport. In the first part I explained what the different means of transport are in Ghana. Did you miss this blogpost? Click here!
Ghana is the ideal country in Africa for beginners. The people are friendly and helpful and you can travel safely without a guide or escort. Make sure that you reach your destination before dark.
Travelling in Ghana with public transport
Scary? No way!
Exciting? Of course it is!
Fun? Ooo yeah!
Follow the tips below and it will all be a lot easier!
Travel Tip 1: Purchase a good travel guidebook!
Of course nowadays you can find all information on Google. But if you want to find out how to travel from A to B, the information in e.g. the Bradt Guide to Ghana is much more useful than the information you find on Google. The Bradt guide describes how to get there, with which bus/taxi and where to find this bus/taxi.
Travel tip 2: Ask a Ghanaian how to travel!
Are you in Accra and would you like to explore the city on a budget? Take the tro tro! And ask the people on the street which tro tro you should take and where to get off. Believe me, these people know better than Google and you are going to have a great day with lots of impressions.
Also when you travel other places in Ghana, ask the mates and fellow travellers.
Travel tip 3: Find a Ghanaian travel ‘buddy’
The people in Ghana are very friendly and are happy to help you during your travels. When you have found the right bus or tro tro it is smart to start a conversation with a fellow traveller. This traveller can give you tips about Ghana and travelling in general, but can also help you with where exactly to get off the bus or tro tro.
Imagine …..You are sitting in the back of a touring car and do not want to travel all the way to the final destination. How are you going to make that clear to the driver or mate? Very simple! You tell your Ghanaian travel ‘buddy’ and he will make sure that the bus stops when you have to alight.
Ghana travel tip 4: No, you’re not getting screwed!
Many travellers in Ghana are afraid that you, as a foreigner, have to pay too much when you travel by public transport. Not true! However, sometimes you have to negotiate a bit about the price of your luggage. But for the rides you pay a fixed price. Are you afraid that the amount charged is too much? Just ask out loud how much the fare is before you pay.
Ghana travel tip 5: Just do it!
The best tip I can give you about travelling in Ghana with public transport is that you should just go and do it! It is fun, you experience all kinds of things, you learn a lot about the country and you get to know people.
By doing it, you collect great and entertaining anecdotes that you can laugh about years later. Click here to read an anecdote from Moon&Star guesthouse about a trip with one of our local drivers.
This was the second blog of a series about travelling in Ghana by public transport. In the following blogs about public transport and travel in Ghana I will give more travel tips regarding the following topics
- The condition of the roads in Ghana
- Google maps and navigation in Ghana
- How do I know which means of transport is best to take?
- Is travelling in Ghana difficult?
- Is it expensive to travel across Ghana by public transport?
Do you have any questions about public transport and travel in Ghana? Let me know in the comments below!
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