How To Get Around In Accra

BY SUV OR CAR WITH DRIVER

Accra’s top sights are spread out across a pretty large region, so if you can afford the low fees, hiring a vehicle and driver to transport you around is the best option. Travel firms provide drivers who also serve as knowledgeable guides, which is helpful since interpretative exhibitions and pamphlets (if you can find them) leave a lot to be desired.

Even the finest drivers in Accra make just around US$15 per day, so there are lots of economical choices if you require an SUV or a sedan. At the bigger hotels, such as the Golden Tulip, La Palm, or La Badi Beach, you may book straight from Avis and local rental firms. Cars are available on short notice, but if you want a van or SUV, you should reserve ahead of time. Car and driver rates are about US$9 (Ghana Cedis $US11.25) per hour. A 10 hour day may be reserved for US$75, but gasoline is additional. Rates rise as you leave Accra, which is understandable given that bad roads contribute to the wear and tear on the car. Toyota Land Cruisers are a popular and readily accessible option.

BY TAXI

To hail a cab, raise your arm and point your finger down to the earth. On a crowded street, several taxis may honk at you in an attempt to sell you their services. There are extremely few meters in Ghanaian taxis. Before you begin the journey, you must agree on how much you are prepared to spend. It is usually 3 cedis inside the town center and 5-7 cedis to the airport or Accra Mall from the center. A estimated mileage rate of 1.5 cedis each mile would be appropriate. Ask a local how much a journey to a certain region normally costs. Also, be prepared to negotiate hard since most taxi drivers will attempt to charge three times (or more) the prevailing cost to foreigners. Relax and don’t be hurried. If the first taxi driver refuses to lower his fee, wait for another, since they are many. Do plan your route ahead of time; taxi drivers navigate by landmarks such as traffic circles, traffic lights, and gas stations rather than street names, and make sure you have a local simcard in your phone so you can call someone at your destination and hand the phone to the taxi driver.

Taxis, on the other hand, do not have to be so private, and it is quite unusual for Ghanaians to book one privately (although they will assume that foreigners want a private one). In principle, the fare is one-fourth of that of a private ride, however foreigners who choose a private ride are sometimes charged a bit more. It’s more perplexing, to be sure, but chances are they’re heading in the same direction you are, and you can simply inquire whether they’re heading towards a large landmark, particularly a market.

Aside from the incessant honking at foreigners, the difficulty with taxis is that they don’t know their way about Accra. No, they will have no clue where you want to go. They, too, are unable to decipher maps. The landmarks cited by residents and taxi drivers do not correspond to those useful to outsiders. Worse, the taxi drivers often reside outside of the city center and are unfamiliar with basic neighborhood names or major attractions such as Independence Square! The big markets, Osu Castle, the Stadium, the financial hub (Cedi Tower), the key traffic circles along Ring Rd, and important street names are some helpful landmarks that they will recognize and from which you may attempt to lead them to where you want to go. It’s difficult if you don’t already know your way around.

METERED TAXI

There are some cabs that have meters. These are normally more costly, but you will have a better idea of how much they will cost.

ON FOOT

Despite its size, Accra is a very secure city to roam about during the day (and night, in many areas). When wandering the streets, keep an eye out for exposed sewers and vehicles (especially in the city).

BY TRO TRO

TroTros are often overcrowded, outdated minivans and minibuses that serve as the city’s public transportation system. TroTros go along well-known metropolitan routes, stopping at numerous sites along the way (some stops have signage, some do not). A “buddy” (the driver’s assistance) will frequently scream out the side of the window where the TroTro is headed as it reaches a halt. Every year, many individuals are killed in trotro accidents; nevertheless, most of those killed in trotro accidents are killed on rural roadways. Accidents resulting in death are uncommon in Accra, owing in part to traffic congestion.