The thought of traveling through Tanzania by bus can be daunting for anyone trying to plan their first Africa trip without a tour operator. It can be especially hard for people visiting from the west. We are so used to googling information on every little detail before even setting foot in a foreign country, and not being able to do so can be a bit scary. But in this post we will give you all the information you need to successfully travel cheaply through Tanzania by bus.
Traveling by bus in Tanzania today is a little bit like traveling through Europe twenty years ago. There is no way of pre booking bus tickets or local guest rooms online (trust me I have tried and nothing happened). If it’s not flight tickets or proper resorts, booking has to be done on site in the country. A lot of information is simply not digitalised in Tanzania yet and the tourism infrastructure is under developed.
If you are traveling from Dar es Salaam you will most likely buy your ticket from Ubungo bus station. This is the main bus station in Dar which gets super busy and overwhelming for any person trying to buy a ticket. Please read “what to expect when traveling by bus in Tanzania” to prepare yourself before going to Ubungu bus station. A couple of bus lines have private offices outside the main Ubungo bus station which makes it so much easier to buy a ticket. Further down in the article there is a list differentiating which those bus companies are.
When traveling by bus it is best to travel with the "luxury" bus lines to get the most safe and comfortable journey. Of course the word luxury is relative but in the context of Tanzanian buses it means your ticket ensures that you will actually have a seat on the bus and no one will stand in the isle. You will have a seatbelt, there is going to be air conditioning (sometimes), there are (some) functioning USB ports to charge your phone on board, you will be given a small bottle of water and soda as well as a muffin. It may sounds basic, but this is a lot compared to what most bus companies offer in this country. Below is a list of companies which offer quite comfortable bus rides with vehicles similar to what you can find in America or Europe. Find their contacts/social media and some of their destinations listed as well.
Note: The respective bus companies may have more destinations than written below so call their office numbers to inquire about your specific destination.
Dar es Salaam, Moshi, Arusha, Namanga, Nairobi, Morogoro, Makambako, Iringa, Singida, Igunga, Tinde, Kahama, Mbeya, Dodoma, Nzega, Mwanza, Shinyanga, Igunga, Mafinga
Prices
Dar - Arusha 36,000 tsh
Dar - Nzega 36,000 tsh
Dar office Contacts: +255 789 495 059 (WhatsApp) / +255 658 495 059 /+255 744 666 643
Kilimanjaro Express:
Dar - Arusha 33,000 tsh for semi-lux and 36,000 tsh for luxury
Dar - Moshi 35,000 tsh
Dar to Rombo(Mkuu-Tarakea) 25,000 tsh
Dar - Nairobi 65,000 tsh
Contact: check their instagram
Dar Express
Moshi, Arusha, Karatu, Namanga, Nairobi, Rombo (Mkuu-Tarakea)
Prices
Dar - Arusha 33,000 tsh
Dar -Karatu 35,000 tsh
Dar to Rombo(Mkuu-Tarakea) 25,000 tsh
Dar - Nairobi 65,000 tsh
Contact: check their instagram
Luxury and semi luxury bus lines which have offices in Ubungo bus station
Dar - Morogoro - Dodoma 22,000 tsh
Dar - Singida 33,000 tsh
Dar - Manyoni 33,000 tsh
Contacts: + 255 713-622164 / +255 758-263 978
ABC
Dar es Salaam - Singida
Dar es Salaam - Dodoma
Contact: check their instagram
Mwanza - Dodoma 30,000 tsh
Contact: +255 715 150 406
Tashriff Luxury Coach
Dar - Tanga
Dar- Mtwara
Dar - Masasi
Dar - Mangaka
Dar - Tunduri
Dar - Newala
Contact: See their instagram
Dar es Salaam - Moshi
Dar es Salaam - Arusha 33,000 tsh
Dar es Salaam - Tabora
Dar es Salaam - Kaliua
Dar es Salaam - Uvinza
Dar es Salaam - Dodoma
Dar es Salaam - Kasulu
Dar es Salaam - Kigoma
Contact: 0714583373 or 0754050358 or 0713958666 or 0757575740
Al Saedy
Dar es Salaam - Morogoro
Dar es Salaam - Kilosa
Dar es Salaam - Ifakara
Dar es Salaam - Dodoma
Contact: +255(0)715 939 310
Buti la Zungu VIP
Dar - Mtwara
Dar - Lindi
Dar - Masasi
Contact: +255 713 013 541
Additional bus lines: Ally’s Business Class, Luxe and Golden Deer
well written, learn more here: www.dar-es-salaamcity.com