Tunis City Guide - Getting Around

City buses are inexpensive and efficient, but difficult to use, as the destinations are written in Arabic, and so is the bus map. The two main companies are SNT (tel: (071) 259 422) and TCV (tel: (071) 780 783), a private bus company with more expensive green-and-white buses. Tickets are bought on the bus.

The Métro Léger is a tramway with five lines departing from the railway station: no.1 goes to Tunis Marine, the TGM station; no.2 runs along the city's north-south axis; no.3, 4, 5 go near the North bus station; and no.4 also serves the Bardo Museum.

Tickets are available at the kiosks at the stops, but there are no discounted passes available.

The TGM, a small and efficient train, leaves from Tunis Marine at the end of avenue Habib Bourguiba, with regular departures to La Marsa stopping at Carthage, La Goulette and Sidi Bou Said.

Taxis can be hailed on the street or at ranks at the railway/bus station. Only yellow metered taxis should be used, making sure the meter is switched on. Taxi drivers are allowed to take a maximum of three passengers, and at peak times people share taxis.

Car hire companies have offices at the airport and in the city centre. Companies at the airport include Avis (tel: (071) 750 299; website: www.avis.com), Europcar (tel: (071) 940 100; website: www.europcar.com), EasyCar (website: www.easycar.com), Hertz (tel: (071) 231 822; website: www.tunisieautotourisme.com), and Sixt (tel: (070) 729 292; website: www.e-sixt.com), while in town there are offices of Avis, Avenue De La Ligue Arabe (tel: (071) 787 167; website: www.avis.com), EuropCar, 81 Avenue de la Liberté (tel: (071) 794 432; website: www.europcar.com) and Sixt, Tunis Ariana, Charguia (tel: (071) 942 535; website: www.e-sixt.com).