From the airport to the city centre Algeria

To get to downtown Algiers: take the Autoroute de l'Est, Rocade Nord, then Avenue de l'ALN.

Cabs run between the airport and the city center for around DA1,500. The cab rank is about 50 m along on the right as you leave terminal 1. In the opposite direction, from the city center to the airport, the fare is around 800 DA.

By bus: l'aéro-ville (ETUSA line 100) links the airport to downtown Algiers every hour for DA50 per passenger. The line serves Place des Martyrs, Assemblée Nationale, Hôtel Es-Safir, Hôtel Albert Ier, Place Audin, Grande Poste and the bus station. First departure from Hôtel Es-Safir at 6 a.m., last departure from the airport at 6 p.m.

By shuttle: major hotels offer a 24-hour shuttle service.

By train: trains serve the airport every 30 minutes from the Agha station in Algiers.

Arrival by boat Algeria

Regular boat services operated by Algérie Ferries and Corsica Linea connect France and Spain with Algeria, departing from Marseille, Barcelona, Valencia and Alicante, with destinations including Skikda, Algiers, Oran, Annaba, Bejaïa and Mostaganem. There are also Skikda-Genoa connections. The round-trip price for a France-Algeria crossing is around €300, with wheelchair access, and €150 for a Spain-Algeria crossing. Depending on the level of comfort (shared cabin, private cabin, etc.), an additional €15 to €90 is required for a seat in the cabin. But beware: during the summer months, prices can soar to as much as €800! It's important to book several months in advance if you don't want to be fleeced. The crossing from the French coast takes 21 hours, from Barcelona 17 hours and from Alicante 12 hours.

Public transport Algeria

Flights. Algeria has 135 airports and aerodromes, including airstrips reserved for oil companies, but there are also domestic flights for the general public between the country's main airports. Cities served include Algiers, Annaba, Batna, Béchar, Bejaïa, Biskra, Chlef, Constantine, Djanet, El-Ménéa, El Oued, Ghardaïa, Hassi Messaoud, Illizi, In Salah, Laghouat, Oran, Ouargla, Sétif, Tlemcen, Tamanrasset, Tébessa, Timimoun/Adrar, Tindouf, Tlemcen and Touggourt. Many have international airports.

Of note: after six years of construction, Algiers' new terminal, T4, was inaugurated in April 2019. Ultramodern and covering an area of 200,000m2, the terminal increases the airport's capacity from 12 to 22 million passengers a year.

In 2013, a new airline made its appearance on domestic routes. It is Tassili Airlines, which competes directly with Air Algérie, until now the only airline on the domestic market, and which is tending to improve, with far fewer delays than before. Originally working with oil companies, Tassili Airlines has recently opened up to the general public. Its planes are very punctual, which is a big plus in Algeria! Tassili Airlines also operates flights between France (Paris and the provinces) and Algeria.

Air Algérie, ASL Airlines, Air France and Tassili Airlines are the leading airlines serving the country, with Air Algérie still providing the bulk of domestic services.

Bus. All the country's major cities are linked by a well-developed bus network. Buses owned by private companies are more or less comfortable, but connections are generally good. The website of the Société de Gestion de la Gare Routière d'Alger (www.sogral.dz) provides practical information on departure and arrival times.

Trains. Algeria's rail network comprises almost 4,000 km of track. Trains are often very punctual, comfortable and safe. We prefer 1st class, which is slightly more expensive, as the seats are more comfortable and the customers less intrusive than in second class. Above all, in first class, a hostess regularly passes by with her cart to sell you tea, coffee, sandwiches, cakes... Inexpensive and very practical. The most popular routes are Algiers-Bejaïa, Oran-Alger and Algiers-Annaba via Constantine (night train). There are daily connections between Algiers and Oran, Bejaïa, Skikda, Annaba and Constantine, but the journeys are very long, at least 6 hours between Oran and Algiers. Further south, there are daily services from Annaba to Tébessa via Souk Ahras, and from Oran to Béchar, and twice-daily services from Constantine to Touggourt via Biskra. The major towns of the northern Saharan Atlas are also served by train.

All timetables and fares can be found on the company's website: https://www.sntf.dz/

With a driver Algeria

There are several types of cab. Yellow interwilaya cabs link the country's major cities. They usually park near the bus station in each city and wait until they are full before leaving, while city cabs are usually collective, with well-defined routes, which are taken at cab ranks, and stopped when cabs pass by on a per-ride or metered basis.

The new phenomenon in Algeria is the development of Uber-type VTCs in the city. Several companies are vying for the market in Algiers and most other major cities, including Oran. The leading company in the country is still Yassir, but other companies such as Heetch and InDrive want to compete with it.

To order a VTC, simply download the mobile application of the chosen VTC onto your smartphone. You also enter your destination in the app, and the fare appears. You can then order your trip and pay the driver in cash at the end (bring cash with you). Some apps allow users to propose the price they want to pay themselves (in this case, a driver must accept the offer).

By car Algeria

The road network is in fairly good condition, except in regions with harsh climates. You'll particularly appreciate the fact that freeways are free of charge (with the exception of certain sections of the East-West freeway, particularly access to Algiers, which are now subject to a charge). The recent East-West freeway, which takes you from Algiers to Oran in just 4 hours, is particularly comfortable. The roads are criss-crossed by two-wheelers, private cars, (yellow) shared cabs and heavy goods vehicles, each one crazier than the last! Fishtails, high speeds and sudden stops are commonplace. Remain calm when driving, especially if you're not behind the wheel, for the sake of the driver's concentration.

Don't hesitate to take a break in one of the freeway cafeterias, which are located at gas stations and are all very pleasant, with stores, toilets, etc., just like those found in France.

A French driving license allows you to drive in Algeria for three months. The use of a cell phone while driving is mercilessly punished by a fine.

Please note that the south of the country is not accessible to foreign tourists traveling alone: they must be accompanied by a travel agency. Bear this in mind if you decide to rent a car: you won't be able to drive into the Deep South on your own.