Transportation

TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While travel on most roads is generally safe during the day, travelers must maintain constant vigilance. There have been reports of violent attacks on vehicles traveling the roads throughout the country outside of Bujumbura. Official U.S. government personnel are not allowed to travel without prior approval and are required to carry a satellite phone. Avoid travel on the national highways from dusk to dawn. Drivers without valid permits, and the ease with which a driver's license can be acquired without training, make Burundian drivers less careful, predictable, or mindful of driving rules than U.S. drivers may expect. Although the law provides for the arrest of drunk drivers, in practice, the police do not act on this law. If you are involved in an accident causing death, it is advised that you leave the scene of the accident and proceed to the nearest police station.

Road conditions are poor in both the capital and countryside. There are no functioning traffic signals in Bujumbura, and virtually nothing of the kind elsewhere in the country. Roadways are not marked, and the lack of streetlights or shoulders makes driving in the countryside at night especially dangerous. Additionally, drivers may encounter cyclists, pedestrians, and livestock in the roadway, including in and around the capital. Mini-vans used as buses should be given a wide berth as they start and stop abruptly, often without pulling to the side of the road.

Large holes or damaged portions of roadway are common throughout the country. Vehicles should be equipped with multiple spare tires and recovery equipment. During the rainy season, many side roads are passable only with four-wheel drive vehicles. Burundi’s supplies of gasoline and diesel fuel are imported predominantly from Kenya and Tanzania, and are relatively expensive due to high transportation costs. Service stations are rare outside of the major cities.

Third-party insurance is required, and it will cover any damages in the event of an accident (property, injury, or death). If you are found to have caused an accident, you automatically will be fined 10,000 Burundian francs (approximately $6.50 USD) and your driver's license will be confiscated until the police investigation is completed.

Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information.

AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Burundi, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the government of Burundi’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards. Further information may be found on the FAA’s safety assessment page.