Senegal operates on right-hand traffic with road networks radiating from Dakar to interior regions. The national road system comprises approximately 4,271 kilometers of paved roads and 10,305 kilometers of unpaved roads as of 2023 data from Direction des Routes. Route Nationale 1 connects Dakar to Saint-Louis through Thiès and Louga, covering 264 kilometers. Route Nationale 2 extends from Thiès through Kaolack to Tambacounda, continuing to the Malian border at Kidira. Route Nationale 4 links Kaolack to Ziguinchor in Casamance, crossing The Gambia through two border points. Route Nationale 6 follows the coast from Dakar through Mbour and terminates near the Gambian border. Road conditions deteriorate significantly during the rainy season from June through October, when laterite roads become impassable and paved routes develop potholes that remain unrepaired for months.
The Dakar Dem Dikk public bus system operates approximately 350 vehicles across the capital region, with numbered routes serving major corridors. Route 7 connects the airport to downtown Dakar. Route 15 runs from Parcelles Assainies to Plateau. Single fares cost 150 CFA francs for standard routes and 250 CFA francs for longer distances as of January 2024. Buses display route numbers on front panels but schedules remain informal, with departure times depending on passenger volume rather than fixed timetables. Vehicles carry capacity placards stating 70 passengers but regularly exceed this during morning and evening peaks. The system suspends routes during Magal de Touba and Grand Magal religious events when millions travel to Touba.
Taxis in Dakar divide into two categories. Car rapides, painted blue and yellow, operate shared routes with 150-250 CFA franc fares depending on distance. Passengers signal stops by tapping coins on the window frame. These vehicles, typically Renault or Peugeot models from the 1970s and 1980s, carry no meters and follow established routes between neighborhoods like Medina, Plateau, and Ouakam. Taxi clando represents private hire vehicles, usually newer sedans painted in various colors, negotiating prices before departure. Short trips within Dakar central districts start at 1,500 CFA francs, while airport transfers to Plateau cost 5,000-7,000 CFA francs. A metered taxi fleet operates from Blaise Diagne International Airport charging regulated rates, though meters frequently malfunction.
Ndiaga ndiaye buses serve intercity routes throughout Senegal. These large blue and white buses depart from Gare Routière Pompiers in Dakar for destinations including Thiès, Kaolack, and Tambacounda. Vehicles seat 70 passengers on wooden benches with luggage stored on roof racks. Dakar to Saint-Louis costs 3,500 CFA francs and requires four to five hours depending on police checkpoints. Dakar to Ziguinchor costs 7,000 CFA francs for the ten to twelve hour journey including ferry crossings. Departures occur when vehicles fill rather than on schedules, though morning hours see more frequent service. Gare Routière Petersen serves routes to Touba and northern destinations. Sept-place taxis, Peugeot 504 station wagons carrying seven passengers, offer faster service at double the ndiaga ndiaye price from the same terminals.
The Train Express Régional commenced operations in January 2022, connecting Dakar to Blaise Diagne International Airport. The line extends 57 kilometers with 14 stations including stops at Thiaroye, Rufisque, and Diamniadio. Travel time from Dakar central station to the airport requires 45 minutes. Trains operate from 5:30 AM to 11:30 PM with 30-minute intervals during peak hours and 60-minute intervals off-peak. First class tickets cost 3,500 CFA francs, second class 2,500 CFA francs as of March 2024. The system uses Alstom Coradia Polyvalent trains with air conditioning and electronic ticketing through gate barriers. Plans announced by Senegalese rail authority APIX indicate future extension to Thiès, though construction timelines remain unspecified.
Domestic flights connect Dakar to Ziguinchor and Cap Skirring through Air Senegal, which resumed operations in 2018 after the 2009 collapse of previous national carrier Senegal Airlines. Dakar to Ziguinchor operates daily with ATR 72 aircraft, taking 55 minutes versus ten hours by road. One-way economy fares range from 45,000 to 75,000 CFA francs depending on booking timing. Flights depart from Blaise Diagne International Airport, which opened in December 2017, replacing Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport. The new facility sits 43 kilometers from central Dakar near Diass. Air Senegal also serves Saint-Louis with less frequent service, though this route experiences irregular scheduling.
Ferries operate between Dakar and Gorée Island from the terminal at Place de l'Indépendance. Chaloupe vessels depart every hour from 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM, with additional evening departures during high season. The crossing takes 20 minutes. Round-trip tickets cost 5,200 CFA francs for non-residents and 2,600 CFA francs for residents with proper documentation. Vessels carry approximately 250 passengers with open-air seating on upper decks. During rough Atlantic conditions from December through February, services may delay or cancel without advance notice. The ferry to Carabane Island in Casamance departs from Elinkine, requiring prior road travel to that departure point.
The Rosso ferry crosses the Senegal River between Senegal and Mauritania. Vehicles and passengers board at Rosso-Sénégal for the crossing to Rosso-Mauritania, a distance of approximately 1.5 kilometers. The barge operates continuously during daylight hours, weather permitting, with crossing time of 30 minutes including loading. Vehicle fees start at 15,000 CFA francs for motorcycles and reach 40,000 CFA francs for full-size trucks. Foot passengers pay 1,000 CFA francs. Alternative crossing points exist at Diama Dam, though vehicular traffic there requires special authorization. The Gambia River crossing at Farafenni interrupts the Transgambian Highway between Kaolack and Ziguinchor, operating a similar barge system with comparable wait times.
Motorcycle taxis called Jakarta operate in cities outside Dakar, particularly in Ziguinchor, Tambacounda, and Saint-Louis. Riders negotiate fares before departure, with short urban trips costing 300-500 CFA francs. Drivers provide no helmets to passengers despite national helmet laws enacted in 2003. In Dakar, Jakarta were officially banned in 2017, though informal motorcycle transport continues in peripheral neighborhoods like Pikine and Guédiawaye. The ban followed accident statistics from the Senegalese Road Safety Agency showing motorcycles involved in 43 percent of fatal traffic incidents during 2016.
Car rental operates from Blaise Diagne International Airport and central Dakar locations through international chains including Hertz and Avis, alongside local operators such as Sénégal Auto Location. Compact vehicles rent for 25,000-35,000 CFA francs per day with rates decreasing for weekly bookings. Renters must present a valid driver's license held for minimum one year and provide passport identification. International driving permits receive recognition but French licenses or permits with French translation facilitate police interactions. Credit card holds range from 300,000 to 500,000 CFA francs as security deposits. Four-wheel drive vehicles cost 60,000-80,000 CFA francs daily and prove necessary for travel to Niokolo-Koba National Park or Sine-Saloum Delta areas during rainy season.