Travel to Chad

Chad: Various travel information

Attention:

At this point it should be pointed out once again that the Federal Foreign Office is currently urgently advising against all (not absolutely necessary) trips to Chad. Especially the east, south-east and north of the country and the Tibesti Mountains are considered dangerous – the latter alone because of the many uncleared minefields. The border region with Sudan is also dangerous; there is a risk of falling victim to a violent crime.

How do you get to Chad?

Airplane

Most travelers reach Chad via its only international airport in N’Djamena. Air France flies direct to it from Paris five times a week. Other airlines that operate the airport are Cargolux, Ethiopian Airlines, Cameroon Airlines, Sudan Air, Air Inter Congo, CanAir Cargo, Afriqiyah Airways and ASky. With the help of taxis you can get from the airport to downtown N’Damenas, about two kilometers away.

Railways

There is no railroad network in Chad.

Bus traffic

There are irregular bus connections between Chad and the Central African Republic, Nigeria and Niger. Minibuses run between N’Djamena and Kousséri in Cameroon.

Car

highways lead to Chad from the Central African Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger and Sudan. However, the border with Sudan is currently closed. During the rainy season the roads are partially impassable, the route to Niger is generally in poor condition. The border areas with Cameroon are also not recommended because of the risk of armed attacks.

A travel permit (Autorisation de circuler) is required for entry by land, which must be applied for at the embassy together with the visa.

Travel in the country

Watch out!

A separate permit must be obtained for each prefecture before leaving the capital.

Flight connections

Domestic flights are currently only offered by private companies. Thanks to its Fokker 28, Toumai Air Tchad offers a connection between Ndjamena and Abéché. These flights go twice a week.

Ferry connections

The country has around 2,000 km of navigable waterways. However, the Chari main river in Chad is only navigable in the rainy season. Then there are smaller river boats going there. Lake Chad has other ferry connections.

Bus

A national bus network connects the cities. However, it must be mentioned that the bus connections are rare and only offered to the larger towns.

Railways

There is no railroad network in Chad.

Roads and rental cars

Chad has about 300 km of paved roads. A travel permit (see above) is required for overland trips in Chad, but this is only granted for certain routes. When driving to the north-east of the country, a guide who knows the area is also required. The best thing to do is to use taxis or domestic flights straight away, especially since robberies on motorists are common. Anyone who is involved in an accident with personal injury should be prepared for (very) aggressive reactions. Another negative factor is the insufficient supply of fuel.

A carnet de passage, an international driver’s license and either the green insurance card or a fully comprehensive insurance from Chad are required for rental cars. Four-wheel drive is essential outside of the cities.

International license plate

According to Abbreviationfinder, Chad’s international license plate is:

TD

Formalities and visas

To enter Chad, tourists require a passport that is valid for at least one month longer than the visa, a visa, a return or onward travel ticket and proof of accommodation (hotel reservation, invitation). For travel outside the capital, all prefectures require authorization (authorization de circuler) from the Ministry of the Interior of Chad, which can be applied for upon arrival at the airport. For entry by land, the permit must be applied for together with the visa. When entering via N’Djamena Airport, make sure that the passport authorities stamp a request in the passport to register with the responsible commissariat. This request may have to be complied with within 24 hours.

Issuing of visas

The embassy in Bonn is currently closed. Visa can be applied for at the Chadian embassies in Brussels or Paris.

Embassy of the Republic of Chad

52, Boulevard Lambermont

1030 Brussels

Tel: 00322 – 2 15 19 75

Local currency, foreign exchange regulations

The national currency of Chad is the CFA franc

1 CFA franc = 100 centimes

Chad is part of the Central African Economic and Monetary Union. The ISO 4217 code of the Franc CFA is XAF here. The CFA franc (Communanté Financiére Africaine) is the currency in 14 African countries that were usually French colonies in the past: Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Chad, Central African Republic, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoite, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo. It is tied to the euro.

1 Euro (€) = 682.671 CFA Franc (XAF)

  • Importing and exporting the national currency There is no limit to the importation of the national currency, but a declaration is required. The export of the local currency is limited to 10,000 CFA francs.
  • Importing and exporting foreign currencies The importing of foreign currencies is permitted without restriction but must be declared. The maximum export amount is the amount declared upon entry.

Goods, customs regulations

Customs regulations

The following articles may be imported into Chad duty-free:

– 400 cigarettes/cigarillos or 125 cigars or 500 g tobacco (women are only allowed to import cigarettes)

– 3 bottles of wine and 1 bottle of spirits.

Souvenirs

Tourists in Chad like to buy carpets, decorated calabashes, knives, ceramics and animal figures made of brass.

Chad: Travel Medicine and Vaccinations

Infectious diseases

In Chad, the following infectious diseases, which are not or less common in Germany or Central and Northern Europe, are to be expected:

  • Malaria: There is an increased risk of becoming infected with the malaria pathogen throughout the country, including the cities, all year round. About 80% to 90% of the infections occur with the very dangerous malaria tropica, the rest with malaria tertiana.
  • AIDS, HIV
  • Amoebic dysentery
  • Bacterial agitation
  • Schistosomiasis
  • Cholera – but there is only a risk of infection for travelers who come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food
  • Intestinal infections from contaminated food or water, including amoebas, lamblia, salmonella, shigella, worm infestation and all kinds of viruses and bacteria
  • Filariasis
  • Typhus – especially in the northeast of the country
  • Hepatitis A and B
  • Kala Azar disease
  • Meningococcal meningitis
  • Polio, polio
  • Leishmaniasis Disease
  • Sleeping sickness
  • rabies
  • Typhoid – however, there is only a risk of infection for travelers who come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food.
  • Tick bite fever

Vaccination recommendations

  • Cholera – but only among travelers who can come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food
  • Diphtheria – a vaccination against diphtheria should always exist, also in the home country.
  • Yellow fever
  • Hepatitis A and B
  • Polio, polio – vaccination against polio should always exist, also in the home country.
  • Meningococcal meningitis
  • Tetanus – a vaccination against tetanus should always exist, also in the home country.
  • Rabies – but only for high-risk travelers who can come into contact with the vector animals.
  • Typhoid – but only for travelers who can come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food.

Malaria prophylaxis

When traveling in the country, it is strongly advised to undergo malaria prophylaxis. However, if the side effects seem questionable to you, you should at least have a “stand-by preparation” with you.

Compulsory vaccination

For all persons older than one year and coming from a yellow fever infection area designated by the WHO, there is a compulsory vaccination against an illness with yellow fever. Chad itself is considered a yellow fever infection area designated by the WHO.

Yellow fever vaccination of children

There were a number of side effects associated with vaccination against yellow fever, for example encephalitis. Around two-thirds of those affected were children under six months. Therefore, under no circumstances should children under this age be vaccinated. But children under one year of age should also not be vaccinated if possible. If in doubt, yellow fever infection areas must then be avoided. Any vaccination against yellow fever may only be carried out in specially authorized yellow fever vaccination centers!

Chad: Diplomatic missions

Visit Countryaah for a full list of Chad embassies and consulates in each country around the world.

Representations of Chad in Germany

The building of the Embassy of Chad is located on Lepsiusstrasse in the Berlin district of Steglitz-Zehlendorf. The stately villa is a little higher than the street.

Lepsiusstraße is a cross street of Grunewaldstraße, which in turn is a cross street of the shopping and business street “Schloßstraße”. The next underground station is the terminus of the U 9 – “Rathaus Steglitz” or one station before – “Schloßstraße”.

Embassy of the Republic of Chad in Berlin

Lepsiusstrasse 114

12165 Berlin

Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 31 99 16 20

Fax: 0049 – (0) 30 – 31 99 16 220

Email: contact@ambatchadberlin.com

www.ambatchadberlin.com

German representation in Chad

Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in N’Djamena

Avenue Félix Eboué

BP 893

N’Djamena

Tel: 00235 – 251 62 02

00 235 – 251 56 47

Fax: 00235 – 251 48 00

Email: info@ndjamena.diplo.de

Austrian representations in Chad

Austria does not have a diplomatic mission in Chad; the embassy in Abuja / Nigeria is responsible.

Representations of Chad in Austria

Embassy

The embassy in Berlin is responsible.

Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Chad (with visa issue)

Hauptplatz 10

3150 Wilhelmsburg

Tel: 0043 – (0) 2746 – 27 74 12

Fax: 0043 – (0) 2746 – 2 77 49

Swiss representations in Chad

Swiss consular

agency Coopration Suisse et Agence consulaire

Quartier Sabangali, BP 1102

TD- N’Djamena

Tel: 00235 – 51 73 14

Fax: 02235 – 51 74 16

Email: ndjamena@sdc.net

www.swiss-cooperation.admin.ch/tchad

Representations of Chad in Switzerland

Embassy of the Republic of Chad in Geneva

Rue Tronchin 14

1202 Geneva

Tel: 0041 – (0) 22 – 340 59 20

Fax: 0041 – (0) 22 – 774 25 27

Email: mission.tchad@bluewin.ch

Travel to Chad