From the airport to the city centre Réunion

Roland-Garros international airport is just a few kilometers from downtown Saint-Denis. The ZE line serves Saint-Denis and Saint-Benoît via the airport. For travelers going directly to the west coast, the T line (carjaune.re) links Saint-Denis Roland-Garros airport with the town of Saint-Pierre, via the beaches and Pierrefonds airport. JetCar OI (jetcaroi.fr) offers a direct, 1h30 non-stop service between Roland-Garros airport and Saint-Pierre, for €20 per person (tickets can be purchased online). But there's often only one return trip a day, whereas the Cars jaunes offer seven or eight. The public transport hub is located just a few meters from the terminal, between parking lots P1 and P4 (long-term parking).

Arrival by train Réunion

Since the total shutdown of the Ti Train in 1976, which linked Saint-Benoît in the east to Saint-Pierre in the south, Réunion no longer has a rail network. A section of track can still be seen at Grande Chaloupe, with a few restored locomotives. A group of heritage and ti train lontan enthusiasts have formed an association and would like to put it back on track and give it a new function by offering tourist tours. Grant applications to the relevant institutions have been submitted. Will they be approved? To be continued. In the meantime, thanks to the association's volunteers, renovation and embellishment work is enabling the ti train to take passengers for a short ride every year as part of the Heritage Days.

Public transport Réunion

The Cars jaunes bus network (carjaune.re) serves almost the whole island, or at least the entire perimeter and the route des Plaines, with the exception of the cirques of Cilaos and Salazie, which are served by local networks. There's a bus station in practically every commune, and Cars jaunes stops are to be found just about everywhere. All you have to do is stand there and wait for the bus, whose departure times are pretty well respected. The Alternéo public transport network (alterneo.re) serves the south-west of the island with its pink buses (Les Avirons, Étang-Salé, Saint-Louis, Les Makes, Cilaos, Saint-Pierre, Le Tampon, Petite-Île). The Citalis network (citalis.re) serves the north (Saint-Denis, Sainte-Marie, Sainte-Suzanne). The Kar'Ouest network runs buses from La Possession to Saint-Leu. The Estival bus network (estival.re) serves Saint-André, Bras-Panon, Saint-Benoît, Sainte-Rose, La Plaine-des-Palmistes and Salazie. The Carsud network (carsud.re) covers the communes of Le Tampon, Entre-Deux, Saint-Joseph and Saint-Philippe. After dark, there are night bus routes covering the island's main towns and urban areas, as well as a transport-on-demand service (Noctambus - Alternéo network), but it's best to bring your own vehicle.

Bike, scooters & co Réunion

Slowly, Reunion Island is going cycling. For the past ten years or so, Réunion has been gradually rolling out its regional bicycle route (VVR) throughout the island, via cycle lanes, loops and paths. The VVR, which is designed to go all the way around the island, is mainly intended for leisure use. In addition, there are over 300 km of dedicated mountain bike trails.
Numerous retailers offer rental services for different types of electrically-assisted bicycles (EABs) adapted to the island's topography.

The use of utility bicycles as a means of urban transport is making timid inroads. But initiatives to encourage residents to get around by bike are growing. This has been the case since 2021 in Saint-Pierre and Saint-Louis, where a short-term self-service VAE rental system (Altervélo libre-service) has been in place. The same applies to Saint-Denis with VélOcéan and Saint-Paul with Roulib. The Alternéo network also offers a long-term rental service for conventional and electric bicycles.

With a driver Réunion

Cab fares are fairly expensive, and are mainly used for medical transport. However, more and more drivers are offering tours of the island, excursions and transfers from one locality to another, at affordable rates. Several VTC companies have sprung up in recent years (Run VTC, Ti VTC, Ouest VTC...).

By car Réunion

The best way to be self-sufficient... and enjoy the daily traffic jams. As a tourist, you shouldn't have too many problems, since you don't have to travel during rush hour. So avoid heading for Saint-Denis in the morning, between 6.30 and 9am. The biggest traffic jams are in Saint-Paul at the entrance to the Route du Littoral, and at the western and eastern entrances to the main town. The same applies in the evening in the other direction, between 3.30pm and 6pm. However, there are a few specific situations in which you need to be vigilant: if you have to catch a plane during rush hour, and if bad weather (or blockages) are blocking certain roads, first and foremost the Route du Littoral.