Getting Around Zambia

Rail & Bus

A railway line runs all the way from Livingstone, through Lusaka to Nakonde. At Kapiri Mposhi, this branches off to Kitwe. An express service operates along the Livingstone-Lusaka route three times a week.

Bus services run fairly regularly, but are not a very comfortable means of transport because of the road conditions and overcrowding. Minibuses operate along shorter routes.

Roads

There are 39,700 kilometres of road highways in Zambia, of which only 7,265 km are paved. The road from Chitapa to Lusaka is in reasonable condition, but otherwise roads are bad. After rains, most gravel roads are only passable with a four-wheel drive vehicle.

Car rental is available in Lusaka and Ndola, offering a small range of vehicles. Some offer a flat weekly rate, but most charge a daily rate plus mileage, insurance and petrol. Most cars come with a chauffeur and are thus expensive.

There is a good network of petrol stations, though not in the game parks. Petrol and diesel can be readily obtained in all major towns, but shortages are common in the very remote areas so make sure you have spare fuel for emergencies. Both petrol and diesel get more expensive the further away you are from the railway line. Unleaded petrol is now available at most BP stations in the major towns.

You will need an international driving licence. Driving is on the left side of the road. Local driving habits and road conditions make driving in Zambia rather unsafe. It is not recommended as a self-drive destination during the wet season.

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