Togo operates on West Africa Time, UTC+0, with no daylight saving time observed. The country's electrical system uses 220 volts at 50 hertz, with Type C European two-pin round plugs as standard. The West African CFA franc serves as official currency, pegged to the euro at a fixed rate of 655.957 XOF per euro since 1999. Banknotes circulate in denominations of 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, and 10000 francs. Automated teller machines function in Lomé and Sokodé but remain scarce outside these cities. Ecobank, Orabank, and BIAT operate networks in major population centers. Most transactions outside Lomé occur in cash, as card acceptance remains limited even in hotels and restaurants. Currency exchange operates at banks, the Gnassingbé Eyadéma International Airport in Lomé, and official bureaux de change, with euros converting more readily than US dollars in most locations.
The rainy season runs from April through October in southern regions, with peak rainfall occurring in June and July when monthly totals regularly exceed 200 millimeters in Lomé. A brief dry interlude typically appears in August before rains resume in September. The northern regions including Kara and Dapaong experience a single rainy season from May through September. Harmattan winds arrive from the Sahara between November and March, reducing visibility and coating surfaces with fine dust. Temperatures in Lomé average 27 degrees Celsius year-round, with humidity remaining high. The northern city of Dapaong experiences greater temperature variation, with daytime highs reaching 40 degrees Celsius in March and April before the rains begin. December through February provides the driest and most comfortable travel conditions nationwide.
French functions as the sole official language in all government proceedings, education from primary school forward, and formal business transactions. The 2010 census recorded approximately 39 languages spoken across the country's 56785 square kilometers. Ewe predominates in southern regions including Lomé, Aného, and Tsévié, while Kabye speakers concentrate in northern areas around Kara. Tem speakers, also called Kotokoli, center in Sokodé and surrounding villages. The Mina language operates as a trade language along the coast. French literacy rates measured 63.7 percent nationally in the 2014 census, with significant urban-rural and gender disparities. English finds limited use in tourist areas of Lomé, particularly near hotels in the city center.
Gnassingbé-Eyadéma International Airport in Lomé serves as the country's sole international air gateway, located 6 kilometers northeast of the city center. The airport receives direct flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle operated by Air France, from Brussels operated by Brussels Airlines, from Casablanca on Royal Air Maroc, and from Istanbul on Turkish Airlines. Regional connections operate to Accra, Cotonou, Abidjan, Lagos, Ouagadougou, and Addis Ababa through various West African carriers and Ethiopian Airlines. Ethiopian Airlines initiated daily Lomé service in 2018. The land border with Ghana at Aflao-Kodjoviakopé, 3 kilometers west of Lomé, processes the highest volume of international crossings. Paved Route Nationale 1 extends 614 kilometers from Lomé north to the Burkina Faso border at Cinkassé, passing through Atakpamé, Sokodé, Kara, and Dapaong. The eastern border with Benin sees crossings at Sanvee-Condji on Route Nationale 2 and at Hilacondji farther north. Ghana's transport network offers greater frequency and comfort than Togo's domestic options, making Accra a common alternative arrival point for travelers heading to Lomé.
Shared taxis operate on fixed routes between major cities, departing when all seats fill. A shared taxi from Lomé to Kpalimé, 120 kilometers northwest, carries four passengers plus driver and typically costs 2000 to 2500 francs per seat. The same journey to Sokodé, 339 kilometers north, runs 4000 to 5000 francs. These vehicles, predominantly Peugeot 504 and 505 station wagons, stop frequently to load and unload passengers and goods. Motorcycle taxis called zemidjans dominate urban transport in all cities, identifiable by drivers wearing numbered vests. Zemidjan rates in Lomé range from 200 francs for short distances to 1000 francs for cross-city trips, always negotiated before departure. Minibuses operating as shared taxis within Lomé cost 150 to 250 francs per journey on fixed routes. Private taxi hire in Lomé begins around 2000 francs per hour. The railway line from Lomé to Blitta, 276 kilometers north, ceased passenger service in 1998 and now operates only for phosphate transport.