Chad has approximately 44,000 kilometers of roads, but only around 1,000 kilometers are paved. The primary paved road runs from N'Djamena south to Moundou and continues toward the Cameroon border. A second paved route connects N'Djamena east to Abéché, though maintenance remains inconsistent. All other roads are unpaved tracks that become impassable during the rainy season from June through September. Travel outside N'Djamena requires a four-wheel-drive vehicle with high clearance. Sedans cannot navigate the terrain.
N'Djamena has no public bus system. Transport within the capital relies on shared taxis called clandos, which follow fixed routes and charge around 200-300 Central African CFA francs per journey. Motorcycle taxis operate throughout the city at similar rates for shorter distances. Private taxi hire costs negotiable rates starting around 5,000 CFA francs for trips within central N'Djamena. No ride-hailing apps operate in Chad.
Inter-city bus services connect N'Djamena to major southern towns including Moundou, Sarh, and Doba. These buses are typically old vehicles with no air conditioning and unpredictable departure schedules. Journey times depend entirely on road conditions. N'Djamena to Moundou covers approximately 465 kilometers and takes twelve to fifteen hours in dry season, longer when roads deteriorate. Buses to Abéché, roughly 850 kilometers east, require two to three days with overnight stops. Private bush taxis called taxis-brousse offer faster but more expensive alternatives, departing when full with seven to nine passengers crammed into vehicles designed for five.
Chad has one international airport at N'Djamena International Airport. Air France operates flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle. Ethiopian Airlines connects through Addis Ababa. Royal Air Maroc routes through Casablanca. Turkish Airlines added service via Istanbul. ECAir, a regional carrier, flies to other Central African destinations. Domestic flights exist in theory but operate irregularly. Chadian airlines including Toumaï Air Chad have suspended most internal routes due to safety and maintenance issues. Reaching northern destinations like Faya-Largeau or Fada by air requires chartering private aircraft at costs exceeding 1 million CFA francs.
Traveling to northern Chad requires military permits obtained from the Ministry of Public Security and Immigration in N'Djamena. The Tibesti Mountains, Ennedi Plateau, and areas near the Libyan border remain subject to travel restrictions due to insurgent activity and landmines from past conflicts. Tour operators based in N'Djamena arrange Saharan expeditions with military escorts when permits are granted. These convoys travel in groups of multiple four-wheel-drive vehicles with satellite communications, spare fuel, and food supplies for journeys lasting one to three weeks. Independent travel in the Sahara zone is prohibited.
Lake Chad sits on Chad's western border shared with Niger, Nigeria, and Cameroon. Reaching the lake from N'Djamena requires driving northwest approximately 90 kilometers to the town of Bol. The road is unpaved but navigable in dry season. Pirogue boats operated by local fishermen provide transport across shallow waters. The lake has shrunk dramatically since the 1960s when it covered approximately 25,000 square kilometers compared to around 1,500 square kilometers today. Water levels fluctuate seasonally, with the deepest sections rarely exceeding seven meters.
Zakouma National Park in southeastern Chad sits approximately 800 kilometers from N'Djamena. Access requires flying from the capital to an airstrip at Zakouma village or driving five days over unpaved tracks. The park administration operates the airstrip and arranges charter flights. African Parks, the organization managing Zakouma since 2010, provides accommodations at Tinga Camp and organizes game drives. Visiting independently without prior arrangement with African Parks is not feasible.
The Ennedi Natural and Cultural Reserve in northeastern Chad has no paved road access. Reaching the reserve requires organized expeditions departing from N'Djamena with travel time of ten to fourteen days round trip including time at the site. These expeditions traverse approximately 1,200 kilometers of desert tracks to reach the Ennedi Plateau. The town of Fada serves as the administrative center for the Ennedi region but has minimal infrastructure. Expeditions camp in the desert with supplies transported from the capital.
Rail transport does not exist in Chad. The nearest railway station sits in Ngaoundéré, Cameroon, approximately 450 kilometers south of Moundou. Some travelers enter Chad overland from Cameroon via this route, combining the Cameroonian railway from Yaoundé to Ngaoundéré with road transport into southern Chad.
Fuel availability outside N'Djamena and major southern towns is unreliable. Travelers to remote areas must carry jerry cans with sufficient fuel for entire journeys plus emergency reserves. One liter of gasoline costs approximately 600-650 CFA francs in N'Djamena, higher in remote areas when available. Diesel costs slightly less. Fuel shortages occur periodically even in the capital.