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Bujumbura International Airport was opened in 1952 in Bujumbura which is the capital of Burundi. From Bujumbura International Airport, which is the only international airport of Burundi, there are regular flights to Brussels, Kigali, Addis Ababa and Nairobi. The annual passenger average of Bujumbura International Airport, which is controlled by the Burundi government, is over 90 thousand.

Bujumbura International Airport, located in Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi, is also the only international airport in the country. Local language and French are often spoken in the city. The number of English speakers is very low. For this reason, if you plan to stay in the city for a long time, you are recommended to learn some words in French or in local language that would help you in the daily life. After landing to Bujumbura International Airport, you can travel to the center by taking one of the taxis located just outside the terminal. Taxis are usually easily found in front of the terminal. If there are no taxis, you can ask for support from the information desk at the airport, rent a car from the terminal, or use a shuttle to get to the center.

Taxi

It is generally not difficult to find a taxi in Bujumbura International Airport. After landing to the airport, you can get out of the terminal and take one of the Bujumbura taxis waiting in front of the terminal. Traveling to the center by taxi takes only a few minutes and the amount you need to pay would be equal to around 20 American dollars in local currency. If you need to travel to farther destinations within and around the city, the fare would be more than this based on the distance. If you are going to a destination far away from the airport and want to know in advance how much you would pay, you can talk to the taxi driver and try to negotiate at a certain price.

Car Rental

There are also alternatives in and around Bujumbura International Airport for those passengers who would like to rent a car. The complicated traffic in the city is a fact that you need to consider if you opt for renting a car. Driving in the city is usually very difficult and complicated as people usually do not follow the traffic rules. However, if you still go for renting a car, you can increase your chance to find a car as soon as you land at the airport by booking online in advance. You can follow the signs showing the Bujumbura city center after exiting the airport and be in the city center just in a few minutes. The difficulty of finding a car park in the city center is also another negative side of renting a car. You need to make sure to find a safe place to park your car in the crowded and complex environment of the city.

Tuk-tuk 

Small vehicles that have space only for the driver and one or two passengers are known as tuk-tuk and are frequently used in the city. You can find a tuk-tuk near the airport and come to the city center with these means of transportation. Tuk-tuk fares may be a bit more affordable compared to the taxis, but they do not offer a wide space or baggage to carry your suitcases. Tuk-tuk stands out as an alternative which you can use especially when you need to get to a place in the city from another quickly.

Private Shuttles

Another fast and practical means of transportation to get to the center from Bujumbura international airport is the private shuttles which are usually used by foreign tourists visiting the city. While you can find offices of private shuttle companies at the airport, it is also possible to book online in advance. With the private shuttles you can reach wherever you want in the city after leaving the airport. The fares of the private shuttles that carry passengers to the center from the airport vary according to factors like the season of the journey, number of the passengers and the distance travelled.

There are options such as taxi, tuk-tuk, private shuttles and car rental for those traveling from city center and other nearby settlements to Bujumbura International Airport. Taxis, one of the most practical methods of traveling to the airport from the center, are also among the means of transportation that can be easily found. In order to make benefit of private shuttles, you have to search and book in advance and talk with the company about details such as the number of passengers and fares. The tuk-tuk, which is widely used in many African cities and takes up to two passengers, could be another way of traveling to the airport. Tuk-tuk is also very fast, but it is not possible to carry many suitcases with these means. Finally, you can choose to come to the airport by renting a car from the center of the city, but this stands out as an extremely challenging option as the traffic can be extremely complicated.

Taxi 

It is generally not too difficult to find a taxi in the center of Bujumbura, capital of Burundi. In the center of the city you can find a taxi to take you to the airport in a very short time. The amount you need to pay for the taxi for going to Bujumbura International Airport from the center is 20 dollars on average. The total amount would not change significantly if you pay in Burundi's local currency, but you can still travel at a more affordable price this way. Taxis are taking their passengers directly to the front of the airport terminal. This means that these vehicles are extremely practical for carrying your suitcases comfortably. However, taxis can cause you to lose time because of the very complicated traffic of Bujumbura. If you are in a rush and you do not have too much luggage, you can use the vehicles known as a tuk-tuk instead of a taxi.

Tuk-tuk

The motor-like vehicles that can carry a maximum of two passengers are known in the city as tuk-tuk. Tuk-tuk is one of the fastest vehicles to be preferred in Bujumbura to get to the airport. These vehicles, which are usually not struggling in traffic thanks to their small size, are also very affordable. You can travel from the airport to the city center with a tuk-tuk for only a few dollars or a similar amount of the local currency. At the same time, Tuk-tuk allows passengers who are in a rush to get to the airport quickly; however the low passenger and baggage capacities of these vehicles are among the main reasons why taxis are often preferred to get from the city center to the airport.

Car Rental

Bujumbura does not offer different and rich alternatives especially with regards to international car rental companies. However, you can still rent a car by choosing one of the local rental companies in the city. The extremely complicated and tight traffic conditions and the fact that traffic is generally not complied with the rules are among the main factors that lead passengers to rent a car. Generally it would do enough in order to deliver your car at the airport when you come here after renting it from the city center to inform the car rental company in advance. If you are not very well informed about the roads in Bujumbura, you can travel with a local guide or take advantage of the navigation devices.

Private Shuttles

Private shuttles can also be a fast option for traveling from Bujumbura to the airport. The fares of private shuttles are slightly higher than other alternatives such as taxis and tuk-tuk. However, these vehicles stand out with their higher capacities with regards to both passengers and luggage. You can increase your chances of finding a seat on a shuttle by booking a few days before the date you will travel to the airport. Despite their higher capacities with regards to both passengers and luggage, private shuttles are also among the vehicles that are affected by the complex traffic in Bujumbura.

Airport Information

Located in the capital city of the country, Bujumbura International Airport is at the same time Burundi's first and only international airport. It is possible to find all of the standard services such as restaurants and cafés offering examples from Burundi and world cuisine, comfortable waiting lounges, lost goods offices and information desks at Bujumbura International Airport, which connects the capital with other points in the world thanks to domestic and international flights operated from here. If you would like to rent a car at the airport, you can choose one of the offices in and around the terminal. You can get support about any issue from information desks and shop souvenirs from the stores. You can change between the local currency of the country and the different currencies such as the US Dollar at the currency exchange offices located at the airport when necessary.