Namibia Travel Guide
Namibia Travel Guide
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Getting around
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By bus
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Namibia Travel Guide

By bus



In comparison with Zimbabwe, East Africa or even South Africa, Namibia has few cheap local buses that are useful for travellers. Small Volkswagen combis (minibuses) do ferry people between towns, providing a good fast service at about N$16 (£2/US$3) per 100km, but these operate only on the busier routes between centres of population. Visitors usually want to see the more remote areas – where local people just hitch if they need transport.

Coaches


Intercape Mainliner
There is one company, Intercape Mainliner, which operates luxury vehicles on long-distance routes covering most of the main towns. These are comfortable, with refreshments available, music, videos, toilets and air conditioning.

Reservations


Reservations for all coaches should be made at least 72 hours in advance, either via Mainliner's website, intercape.co.za, or at one of their offices, or through one of the agents listed below. The exception to this is the journey between Windhoek and Rehoboth, where tickets may be bought only on the bus prior to departure. Tickets for Intercape Mainliner services may be bought online with a credit card at www.intercape.co.za, or through their reservations office at the Galilei Street depot in Windhoek, off Jan Jonkers, tel: 061 227847; fax: 061 228285. Alternatively, get in touch with one of their booking agents:

Gobabis Boekhou & Sekretariële, tel: 061 562470
Karibib Ströblhof Hotel, tel: 062252 81
Keetmanshoop Du Toit Motors, tel: 063 223912 or Jonneys Auto Electric, tel: 063 222442
Otjiwarongo Welwitschia Travel, tel: 0651 303437
Swakopmund Ritz Reise, tel: 064 405151
Tsumeb Tourism Centre, tel: 067 220728 or Tsumeb Aviation Services, tel: 067 220520
Walvis Bay Flamingo Travel, tel: 064 207268 or Ultra Travel, tel: 064 207997
Gobabis Boekhou & Sekretariële, tel: 062 562470
Karibib Ströblhof Hotel, tel: 064 550081
Keetmanshoop H&J, tel: 063 223063
Otjiwarongo Welwitschia Travel, tel: 067 303437
Swakopmund Ritz Reise, tel: 064 405151
Tsumeb Tourism Centre, tel: 067 220728 or Tsumeb Aviation Services, tel: 067 220520
Walvis Bay Flamingo Travel, tel: 064 207268

and in South Africa:

Cape Town Intercape, tel: (27) 21 386 4400.
Johannesburg Intercape, tel: (27) 11 333–5231


Starline services


Part of the TransNamib group, which operates most of the country's railway service, Starline also operate buses on 25 routes nationwide, linking areas that used to be serviced more regularly by the rail network. These often leave from railway stations, and most of the routes are designed for local traffic, often with just one service a week and a minimal length of time at the destination. For visitors, the most useful service is that linking Lüderitz with Keetmanshoop.

Namib-Naukluft Lodge Shuttle


African Extravaganza run a useful minibus shuttle service between Windhoek, Swakopmund and their Namib-Naukluft Lodge, near Solitaire. Though in practical terms this limits you to staying at their lodge, unless you can arrange for another to collect you, it is a convenient way to see part of the desert if you don't want to drive.

The shuttle departs from both towns at 14.00 (13.00 June–Sept), arriving at the lodge just before sunset. Then it departs from the lodge early in the morning to reach Windhoek or Swakopmund at 13.00 (12.00 June–Sept). It costs N$2,500 per person sharing, N$2,800 single, for a return trip; or N$2,900 per person sharing, N$3,200 single, if you want to start from Windhoek and end at Swakopmund, or vice versa.


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