Transportation

TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: Road conditions in DRC are generally poor and deteriorate significantly during the rainy season from October to May. Traffic safety is hazardous due to lack of infrastructure, poorly trained/disciplined drivers, poorly maintained vehicles, and indifference among many drivers toward the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. Use of cell phones while driving is prohibited in the DRC. As with other traffic regulations, enforcement of this law is inconsistent. Distracted drivers pose a threat.

Lock vehicle doors and keep windows closed when driving. At roadblocks or checkpoints, open the driver’s side window slightly in order to communicate and show documents through closed windows. In the event of an automobile accident, remain inside the vehicle and wait for police. If a hostile mob forms or you feel your safety is in danger, leave the scene and proceed directly to the nearest police station or gendarmerie to report the incident. Do not stop at the scene of an accident or at intersections where people have gathered, as mobs can develop quickly. In heavy traffic, be wary of gangs of street children who may open doors and steal belongings.

Avoid all travel by public transportation, and hire private transport from a reliable source. Any form of public transportation is unregulated, unreliable, and generally unsafe. Taxis, mini-buses, buses, and trains are in poor mechanical condition and are often filled well beyond their intended capacity. Be particularly vigilant at airports where criminals have been known to use luggage tag information to present themselves as pre-arranged drivers. Overcrowded vans and taxis, which often do not meet Western safety standards, serve as public transportation in Kinshasa. Few independent taxis are available, and most do not meet U.S. safety standards. Reputable car rental firms include drivers in all rentals. The DRC has few viable highways or railways. Although boat transport is widely used, vessels are often overloaded and/or poorly maintained; accidents are commonplace and often fatal.

Official motorcades pose serious risks to drivers and pedestrians in Kinshasa. Drivers should pull to the side of the road as far as possible and extinguish the vehicle’s headlights when sirens or security forces announce their presence. Do not take photographs of motorcades. Do not attempt to move until the entire motorcade has passed and proceed only when security forces permit it. Failure to comply may result in arrest or vehicle damage with possible personal injury.

Drivers should stop their cars and pedestrians should stand still when passing a government installation during the raising and lowering of the Congolese flag. This ceremony occurs at roughly 7:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Ferry service between Brazzaville and Kinshasa may close completely with minimal notice. A visa for the destination country (DRC or Republic of Congo) is required to cross the Congo River between Brazzaville and Kinshasa.

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 the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo’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.

The U.S. Embassy prohibits official travel by U.S. government employees and certain contractors on some airlines flying domestic routes in the DRC due to safety and maintenance concerns. This prohibition does not apply to international flights on foreign-owned-and-operated carriers. A list of airlines approved for use by U.S. Embassy personnel may be found on the U.S. Embassy Kinshasa’s Regional Specific Information page.