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I'm interested in visiting Tanzania - the capital of it (Dodoma) and Kilimanjaro park, and I didn't find any info about any airlines to get into Tanzania and about local transport - buses or taxis.

Is it safe to use taxi?

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2 Answers

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Taxi

Taxis don't have meters, so negotiate price before getting into one. Most hotels will be happy to arrange for a transfer, but it will most likely be pricier than getting a taxi. If you're going to popular tourist destinations, I would personally prefer to arrange transfer to avoid the hawks.

Bus

If you're traveling by bus, choose the right bus company - I've read good things about Scandinavian Express, Royal Coach and Dar Express. Apparently, breakdowns and malfunctioning A/Cs (or no A/Cs) are common on other buses. Don't be surprised if buses are hours late.

Flying

For flying within Tanzania (to Kilimanjaro, for instance), it would probably be wise to use Precision Air, the only Tanzanian airline to pass IATA Operational Safety Audit.

Flying to Tanzania shouldn't be a problem either, as it's a popular tourist destination. From Europe, there are Lufthansa/Ethiopian Airlines co-chair flights from Frankfurt via Addis Ababa to Dar Es Salaam, Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro.

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Thank you! I'll wait for it. – VMAtm Jun 30 '11 at 13:35
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I've ridden a number of buses in Tanzania including Dar Express and Scandinavian Express. It was 5 years ago so things may have changed but I don't remember any of them having A/C. I didn't really have any problems with breakdowns. I don't think a single bus departed or arrived on "schedule" so factor that into your travel plans. It wasn't uncommon for a bus to be four or more hours late. – Sean Jul 3 '11 at 1:44
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I've spent considerable time in Tanzania (over 7 months) I can tell you that things change pretty fast. I would recommend asking a local un-interested party about the best bus line before purchasing. I emphasize un-interested because this excludes EVERYONE at the bus terminal. People at the terminal will often get a cut from the bus line for bringing them a passenger, and as such aren't impartial. – Icode4food Jan 26 '12 at 18:08
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Scandinavian hasn't operated for years. – MastaBaba Jun 30 '12 at 9:11
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Don't forget the very decent TAZARA, the train linking up Dar with Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia. Also, local Tanzanian trains can be a decent enough alternative to travel by bus:
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