Popular Airport | Nouakchott Oumtounsy Intl. Airport |
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Popular Airlines | |
Approximate Flight Duration | 10 hour 30 min |
Approximate Travel Distance | 8493 Km |
You can reach Quaid–E–Azam International Airport from Karachi city center by using a bus or minibus. However, using a means of public transportation can make you lose time even though it is the most affordable transportation alternative. If you decide to use a faster transportation vehicle, you can get on a taxi. Renting a car is another option.
There are many car rental companies offering service in the city center. Most of them are local companies. In Pakistan, traffic is generally heavy and complicated. For this reason, tourists are advised to rent a car with a driver by contacting a reliable company. You can get help from your hotel about this issue before your travel. You should drive on the highway N5 and take the Jinnah Terminal Road in order to reach the airport. You can get to Quaid–E–Azam International Airport in about half an hour under normal traffic conditions by following the airport directions.
It is possible to reach the airport in approximately one hour by getting on an airport bus in the city center. One-way ticket price of these buses is 50 Pakistani Rupee per passenger. There are also minibuses carrying passengers to the airport from the city center. These vehicles are cheaper but tourists may be charged higher amounts. In addition, minibuses are very crowded. For these reasons, buses are more preferred by foreign visitors.
Travelling to the airport from the city center lasts about half an hour. You should bargain over the fare before getting on any taxi. The cost of travelling to the airport from the city center is about 300 – 500 Pakistani Rupee.
Quaid–E–Azam International Airport, which is known as Jinnah International Airport shortly, is located 14 km east of the city center. There are foreign exchange office, ATMs and baggage rooms at the airport. In addition, there are restaurants and cafes where you can try local tastes as well as the delicacies from the world cuisine. You can do shopping at the stores where you can find various products specific to Pakistan like carpet and rugs. There is also a duty-free shop at the airport. There is a mosque near the airport parking area. Although there is not any hotel within the building, you can stay at Ramada Plaza Hotel located 1 km of the airport.
Nouakchott is the capital of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. City is located on the Atlantic Ocean coast of this northwest African country neighboring Senegal, Mali and Algeria. Pescheus Beach is not only the most beautiful beach of Nouakchott but also the country. Fishing, iron mining and date palm production are the most important commercial activities in the city.
Safari tourism is also common in the city and it is one of the greatest pleasures of the visitors. Asphalt roads are not common in Nouakchott, which is a desert town. There is also a train route which is used mainly for intercity and commercial transportation. Public transport is provided by small, crowded and old minibuses or by buses, but it is not highly recommended for the tourists because of security reasons.
You can find a taxi in the city center. There is no taximeter in the taxi, so you should agree on the place and the fare before starting your trip. You can bargain. You should ask for a taxi from your hotel or from someone you know, if possible, in order not to be misled about both your safety and the fare.
Car rental is the most preferred transportation method for tourists in Nouakchott. By renting a car you can both go to the city easily and do safari tour. Since most of the roads are not paved, even if you do not enter the desert, you have to pass through the dune roads. For this reason, 4x4 style vehicles are the most preferred. It is recommended that you choose an international car rental company instead of local companies. You may encounter stolen cars with European plates at local companies and you may have problems later. You should remember that if you rent a car you will often encounter police control and asked a lot of questions.
Speaking French would help you in the city. However, if you have an information form that you have prepared beforehand, you can get over these checks easier. This form, which you can find on the internet or you can prepare yourself, should include passport information, visa information and information about the car that you use. The car rental company can help you with this; preparing multiple forms in French or local language would facilitate the process.
Nouakchott International Airport is just 4 kilometers from the city center. There is no public transport service from the airport to the city center. However, you can reach the city center quickly and easily by taxi or renting a car.
If you do not intend to rent a car and you do not have someone to pick you up from the airport, you can get to the city center by taxi. You should remember that there are no taximeters in the taxis and that you will have to negotiate the fare in advance. By taxi you can reach the city center from the airport in only 10 minutes.
Renting a car is very common in Nouakchott, because public transport is not a preferred means of transportation by tourists and there are no taximeters in taxis. You can rent a car at the airport. However, it is recommended that you do this on the internet with an international company before coming to town.
Approximately 3.5 kilometers after taking the N1 road at the airport exit, you will encounter a turn. Here you should take the N3 road at the west direction of the turn and follow the city center sign. After about 400 meters you can reach the city center. The journey takes about 10 minutes.