A painted car rapide minibus is washed down on a Dakar street, its rear door standing open.
Travel planning

Getting Around Senegal

The painted minibuses are the emblem of Dakar and the FCDO says plainly that many of them are not roadworthy. Both things are true.
  • Country Senegal
  • Guide Flight Planning
  • Reviewed 20 August 2026
  • Length 1 min read

Credit Lisa Coulaud, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Last reviewed 20 August 2026

The car rapide is on every postcard of Dakar, hand-painted in yellow and blue with a blessing over the windscreen. It is also, in the FCDO's words, among the vehicles that are not roadworthy by UK standards. A guide that shows you one and does not tell you the second part is not much of a guide.

Driving yourself

You can drive in Senegal on a UK driving license for up to six months. A 1968 international driving permit is not required but is useful, because it provides a translation for traffic officials. Anyone staying longer must get a Senegalese license.

The FCDO is direct about conditions: drivers make sudden movements without signaling, speeding is common, and driving after dark is more dangerous because roads are poorly lit and some vehicles have no lights at all. Penalties for drink driving are severe.

Getting around without a car

  • Pre-arrange your airport transfer through your accommodation or an authorized operator.
  • There are bogus taxi drivers at the airport who will pretend to know you and then overcharge. If someone is collecting you, ask for identification.
  • Many taxis and cars rapides are not roadworthy by UK standards. Choose accordingly.
  • Avoid long road journeys after dark wherever the trip can be done in daylight instead.
  • Roads in the Casamance are of low quality, and journey times there are longer than a map suggests.
This guide is general orientation, not legal, medical or governmental advice. Entry, health and safety requirements change frequently and depend on your nationality, your route and your dates. Always confirm with the relevant authority before you travel.