Travel to Gabon

Gabon: Various travel information

How do you get to Gabon?

Aircraft

direct flights to Libreville there from Paris and London. There are other international airports in Port-Gentil and Franceville.

Ship

Regular ferry services exist between Libreville and São Tomé. In some cases, passengers on cargo ships can also travel to Cameroon.

Car, bus

roads lead to Bitam and Ambam in Cameroon, Cocobeach and Bata in Equatorial Guinea and the Congo.

Travel in the country

Air connections

In addition to the three airports in the country, there are around 200 mostly smaller runways. Scheduled flights exist between Libreville and Franceville, Port-Gentil, Lambaréné, Tchibanga and Oyem.

Railway

The country’s route network covers around 800 km. Rail trains run from Libreville to Lastoursville, Booué and Franceville.

Bus

From Mouila there are bigger buses in different directions. Minibuses run between the rest of the country’s cities. Trucks are also used for passenger traffic.

Roads

The country’s road network covers around 7,500 km, of which only around 850 km are paved. Many of the roads are impassable, especially during the rainy season.

Rental

Cars An international driver’s license is recommended for rental cars, international insurance is compulsory.

Taxis

Larger towns in particular have shared taxis.

Ferry connections

Ferries operate along the country’s coast between Libreville and Port-Gentil. There is also shipping between Port Gentil and N’djolé via Lambaréné on the Ogoué River.

Traffic rules

In order to avoid trouble, drivers should strictly adhere to the traffic regulations in force in the country. Regardless of the information given here, it is advisable to obtain more detailed information from the ADAC, the AvD or the Gabuns Transport Club.

Top speeds

  • Urban: In built-up areas there is a speed limit of 60 km/h.
  • Country roads: There is a speed limit of 75/80 km/h on country roads.

In addition, it is of course necessary to pay attention to the current local speed limits, which are indicated by traffic signs.

Alcohol limit

The official alcohol limit in Gabon for drivers of motor vehicles is 0.8 alcohol.

International license plate

According to Abbreviationfinder, the international license plate of Gabon is:

G

Tourist office

Agence de Tourisme

BP 20407

Libreville

Tel: 00241 – 768 686

Gabon: entry and exit regulations

Tourists from Germany, Austria and Switzerland need a valid passport, a visa and a return or onward ticket to enter Gabon.

Visa department of the Embassy of Gabun

Hohensteiner Strasse 16

14197 Berlin

Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 89 73 34 40

Email: mail@botschaft-gabun.de

www.botschaft-gabun.de

Issuing of visas in Austria and

Switzerland

See under Diplomatic missions

National currency, foreign exchange, souvenirs

The national currency of Gabon is the CFA Franc

1 CFA Franc = 100 Centimes

Gabon is part of the Central African Economic and Monetary Union. The ISO 4217 code of the Franc CFA is here XAF.

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. The exchange rate of the euro and the CFA franc is therefore always the same as the CFA franc is pegged to the euro (it was pegged to the franc before the euro was introduced). For countries that belong to the Central African Economic and Monetary Union, the exchange rate is:

1 Euro (€) = 682.671 CFA francs (XAF)

  • Local currencyThe import of the national currency is permitted without restriction, but there is a declaration requirement. Export is permitted up to the amount declared upon entry, but a maximum of 200,000 CFA francs may be exported.
  • Foreign currenciesThe import of foreign currencies is permitted without restriction, but there is a declaration requirement. The export is limited to the amount declared upon entry.

Departure fee

There is no fee for leaving Gabon.

Importing and exporting goods

The following items can be imported into Gabon duty-free by people aged 17 and over: 200 cigarettes or cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250 g tobacco (women are only allowed to import cigarettes), 2 l alcoholic beverages, 50 g perfume and gifts up to one Value of 5,000 CFA Fr. The import of weapons is strictly prohibited.

Inexpensive or country-specific goods, souvenirs

Tourists in Gabon like to buy traditional wood carvings such as sculptures and masks, ceramic items and local musical instruments.

Gabon: travel medicine, vaccinations and warnings

Infectious Diseases

The following infectious diseases are to be expected in Gabon, which do not occur or rather rarely occur in Germany, Austria or Switzerland:

  • Malaria: There is a high risk of malaria in the country nationwide and all year round. Over 95% of infections occur with the very dangerous malaria tropica, the rest with malaria tertiana.
  • AIDS, HIV – HIV infections play an important and sad role in the country. You should therefore avoid any kind of sexual contact. Injections or even blood transfusions should be avoided at all costs.
  • 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 amoeba, lamblia, salmonella, shigella and worm infestation, as well as all kinds of viruses and bacteria
  • Ebola
  • Filariasis
  • Yellow fever
  • Hepatitis A and B
  • Polio, polio
  • Meningococcal meningitis
  • Sleeping sickness
  • Rabies – but only in contact with potential vector animals
  • 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.
  • Typhoid – but only for travelers who can come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food.

Compulsory vaccination

When entering and staying in Gabon, all persons older than one year are required to provide evidence of valid vaccination protection against yellow fever. Gabon itself is one of the yellow fever infection areas designated by the WHO, for this reason alone a vaccination is urgently recommended.

Yellow fever vaccination of children

When vaccinated against yellow fever, there were a number of side effects, for example an occasional encephalitis. Around two thirds of those affected were children under 6 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 as a travel destination. Any vaccination against yellow fever may only be carried out in specially authorized yellow fever vaccination centers, which also issue the required vaccination certificate!

Malaria prophylaxis

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

Current warnings

Foreign Office (AA) of the Federal Republic of Germany

Citizen Service

Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 5000 – 2000

www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de

Diplomatic missions

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

German representations in Gabon

Embassy in Libreville

Boulevard de l’Indépendance, Immeuble les Frangipaniers

Libreville, Gabon

Tel: 00241 – 760 188

00241 – 742 790

Email: info@libreville.diplo.de

http://www.libreville.diplo.de

The German Embassy in Gabon is still responsible for:

  • Sao Tome and Principe

Representations of Gabon in Germany

Embassy in Berlin

Hohensteiner Strasse 16

14197 Berlin

Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 8973 3440

Email: botschaft@botschaft-gabun.de

www.botschaft-gabun.de

Honorary Consulate in Munich

Nymplenburger Strasse 118

80636 Munich

Tel: 0049 – (0) 89 – 120 0861/62

Austrian representations in Gabon

The Federal Republic of Austria does not have a diplomatic representation in Gabon; the embassy is responsible in:

Embassy in Nigeria

Plot 9, Usuma Street

Maitama – Abuja

Tel: 00234 – 706 – 418 3226

Email: abuja-ob@bmeia.gv.at

The Austrian Embassy in Nigeria is still responsible for:

  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Benin
  • Ghana
  • Cameroon
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Chad
  • Togo
  • Central African Republic

Representations of Gabon in Austria

Gbun does not have an embassy in Austria, but is represented by an honorary consulate. The embassy in Berlin is responsible.

Honorary Consulate of the in Vienna

Möllwaldplatz 2

1040 Vienna

Tel: 0043 – (0) 1) – 503 8270

Swiss representation in Gabon

Switzerland has an embassy in Gabon, but is represented by a consulate general. The embassy is responsible for:

Embassy in the Democatic Republic of the Congo

654, Blvd Colonel Tshatshi

Commune de Gombe

Kinshasa

Democatic Republic of the Congo

Tel: 00243 – (0) 89 – 894 6800/01

Email: kin.vertretung@eda.admin.ch

www.eda.admin.ch/ kinshasa

The Swiss embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is still responsible for:

  • Gabon
  • Republic of the Congo
  • Sao Tome and Principe

Consulate General of Switzerland

Immeuble Hollando, Boulevard du bord de mer, Entrée portique arrière, 2ème étage

Libreville

Gabon

Tel: 00241 – 765 354

00241 – 723 159

Email: bcaillot@inet.ga

Representations of Gabon in Switzerland

Gabon does not have a representation in Switzerland; the embassy in Paris is responsible:

Embassy of the Republic of Gabon in Paris

Avenue Raphaël 26 to

75016 Paris

Tel: 0033 – (0) 1 – 7270 0150

Travel to Gabon