Transport Cape Verde

You have many different options on the Cape Verde islands to get from A to B. Transport is well organized. Whether you want to take a taxi, take a minibus or just rent a car. There are many possibilities and also relatively cheap. The most important means of transport in Cape Verde are explained below.

Rent a bike

Cycling is ideal to explore a part of the island at your own pace. Even the more experienced cyclists or sports enthusiasts can indulge themselves with beautiful routes through the mountains of for example the islands of Santiago or Santo Antao. You will not see many cyclists, but you can cycle well in Cape Verde and the roads are good. In addition to regular bikes, there are also e-bikes and special beach bikes (thicker tires) for rent.

Scooter / quad

There are possibilities to rent a scooter or a quad. Most options can be found on the islands of Sal and Boavista. There are also quad tours that you can book. Make sure that the agreements you make (for example: duration of the rent and whether the gasoline is included) are clear to you. The rents for a day are roughly between 60 – 90 euros.

Aluguer

An aluguer is the characteristic and most important mode of transport in Cape Verde. An aluguer is a small minibus that runs between two destinations and for which you will only pay a few euros. The shared minibuses are also called ‘yasi’ or ‘hilux’ (pickup), named after the model of car brand Toyota. Alugueres drive everywhere and drive around to look for and pick up travelers. However, they often drive at fixed times and not throughout the day. If you encounter a passing aluguer, you can just raise your hand and they stop for you. You can get out where you want. In an aluguer fit 10 to 15 people and they leave as a rule if there are enough people in the van. Traveling with an aluguer is a cheap and safe way of traveling. You also meet in an aluguer (and en route) the local population.

Buses

There are a limited number of bus lines in Cape Verde and only in major cities such as Praia. Algueres are the alternative of the bus. See also above.

Rent a car

The islands of the Cape Verde archipelago are excellent to explore by car. There are several car rental companies available and renting a car is ideal to be independent. On some islands are also some off road routes there you can only drive with a 4 × 4 rental car. For an overview of car rental companies, costs and rental requirements, view the page about car rental Cape Verde.

Taxi

There are quite a few taxis in Cape Verde, especially in the big cities and the islands that are more oriented towards tourists. The taxi is mainly used to get to the airport or accommodation. You generally pay a fixed price for a taxi, but it is wise to arrange this in advance. Usually it is possible to negotiate about the price. The taxi drivers usually speak English and are helpful.

Ferry or boat

With the ferry you see very different things from the landscape than when you take the plane to another Cape Verde island. The boat is indispensable, but in most cases it is not the shortest route. You should also be aware that the ferries or boats sail over the rough ocean. A frequent journey by ferry is the crossing from Sao Vicente to Santo Antao and takes a maximum of 1 hour. For an overview of connections, an indication of departure times and prices, view the page about ferries in Cape Verde.

Domestic flight

Cape Verde consists of 9 inhabited islands and on most islands there is an airport. Flying is the easiest, most comfortable and reliable way to travel between the islands. There are several flights daily between the islands. The flight time is between 20 and 50 minutes, depending on the distance. And taking a domestic flight is not expensive. For a short flight you pay around 50 euros per person. Air tickets can be booked in advance, but as a last minute if you are already in Cape Verde. Of course the price is lower if you book a flight well in advance. For more information view the page with domestic flights Cape Verde.