Public Transport In Uganda

Uganda has four primary means of public transport. That is, Buses, Matatus (vans), ferries and Boda Bodas (motorcycles). The railway system is still under construction. Although there is an operational train, it is not considered a major means of transport because it serves a very limited number of people, and, on top of that, it is not available at all in some seasons. This leaves out the buses, vans, ferries, and motorcycles as the primary means of transport.

Timelines for Public Transport

In other countries, there are timelines upon which you plan your travel around. For instance you can have a bus setting off at 8:00am or 9:00am or any other scheduled time of the day. That option is there among some options as we discus in detail below. However, majorly, transport in Uganda does not have timelines.

Motorcycles (Boda Boda)

There are majorly two types of boda boda options. The none branded options and the app based boda boda options. The none app based boda bodas are the kind that you simply have to meet on the road side. They are usually “boda boda stages”. You simply meet them there, agree about the destination, agree about how much you are willing to pay and then get on the journey.

The app based boda boda option is where you have the likes of safe boda, Faras and the others. For this kind, you need to install an app on your option to order for a boda boda, the same way you order an Uber. The prices are already set. There is no room for negotiating the rates, what the app shows, is what you pay either in cash or cashless using mobile money or airtel money (The Ugandan version of Mpesa)

Matatus (Taxis)

When you mention the word taxi in Uganda, it comes loaded with the idea of a white van with blue stripes. It is not your usual kind of taxi. It is a publicly shared car with stranger. That is not all, you do not fully own the seat you have paid for, sometimes the conductor will pack in a few extra people to share the seat you have already paid for.

These exist in three major categories. There are long distance taxis which often have a travelling timeline such as 7:00am, 9:00am, 12:00pm and other timelines. Then you have short distance ones that rarely follow any timeline and lastly the one that simply pick people on the roadside.

The long distance taxis never set off unless they are full. The short distance also rarely set off unless they are full. Then the town service are often half full, looking for their next customer as they drive around. Taxis are quite uncomfortable but part of the Ugandan experience. In case you are heading somewhere and need to arrive on time, these are not the most recommended option unless you give yourself a time allowance.

Buses

Buses are the main transport means for long distance. Whether you want to travel from Uganda to Kenya, Rwanda or any of Uganda’s neighbors. This is the primary means of transport. They have a timeline but this largely depends on the company. There is no standard timeline apart from the cross border buses which often leave in the evening.

The public transport means are cheaper compared to self drive car rentals as well as car hire with a driver. But they often come with one constraint. They may not get you to every corner of the country unless you opt to use a motorcycle in some areas. Considering the unpredictability of the Ugandan weather, if you can afford renting a car in Kampala, that would be a far recommended option.