Travel to Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau: Various travel information

How do you get to Guinea-Bissau?

Airplane

Direct flights from Europe only go from Lisbon to Bissau. Such connections are guaranteed by TAP, which flies the route several times a week. With the TACV you can fly daily from Dakar (Senegal) to Guinea-Bissau.

Ships

Bissau also has a sea port.

Car

Paved roads lead to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau. In the rainy season, however, the roads are partially impassable.

Travel in the country

Air connections

Guinea-Bissa has ten small landing strips. Flights are offered to the Bijagós Islands, among others.

Railways

There is no railroad network in Guinea-Bissau.

Bus

There are some bus connections in the country. However, it should be noted that buses are more likely to be used by the locals and are more scary for tourists (from the West). They do not meet the European safety standard, are overcrowded and unpunctual. Bus timetables and stops do not exist. You give the driver to understand when you want to get out. Buses are usually stopped directly on the street.

Roads

The road network covers around 4,200 km, around 450 km of which are paved.

Car and rental

car An international driver’s license is recommended for rental cars.

There is a risk of mines when driving overland. In general, it is not recommended to drive at night, alone and away from the paved roads. The road conditions in the country are usually so catastrophic that you can easily need an hour to move ten kilometers forward. In the rainy season, roads can be completely flooded and therefore impassable. The almost complete lack of street signs makes things even more difficult.

Taxis

Long-distance taxis are available. Foreigners should only order taxis from the hotel and negotiate the fare before starting the journey; otherwise you pay an overpriced tariff.

Ferry connections

Almost all cities and regions in the country are connected by ships or boats. There are ferry services between Bissau and Bolama (depending on the tide) and between Bissau and Bafat. Coastal ferries run between Bissau and the north coast.

Traffic rules

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

Top speeds

  • Urban areas: The speed limit is 60 km/h in cities and 50 km/h in villages.
  • Country roads: There is a speed limit of 100 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.

Special regulations

In Guinea-Bissau, the Portuguese traffic rules from 1954 still apply.

Alcohol limit

The official alcohol limit in Guinea-Bissau for drivers of motor vehicles is 2.5 per mille !!!! However, there are no ways to control this.

International license plate

According to Abbreviationfinder, Guinea-Bissau’s international license plate is:

GNB

Entry and exit regulations

Formalities, visas

Tourists from Germany, Austria and Switzerland need a passport that is valid for at least six months, a visa and a return or onward ticket to enter Guinea-Bissau. Furthermore, sufficient funds for the stay must be proven.

Issuing visas in Germany

Guinea-Bissau does not have a diplomatic representation in Germany; the embassy in Belgium and the honorary consulate in Luxembourg are responsible.

Import and export of foreign currency

  • Local currencyThe import and export of the local currency is prohibited.
  • Foreign currenciesThere is no limit to the import of foreign currencies, but a declaration is required for amounts of 5,000 US dollars or more. The export is limited to the amount declared upon entry.

Import and export of goods

The following articles may be imported into Guinea-Bissau duty-free (no age limit):

Tobacco products and perfume in opened bottles for personal use.

Guinea-Bissau: Travel Medicine, Vaccinations and Warnings

Infectious Diseases

In Guinea Bissau, the following infectious diseases, which do not occur or are less common in Germany, Austria or Switzerland, are to be expected:

  • Malaria, there is a relatively high risk of malaria in the country all year round and also in the cities. Over 90% of the infections occur with the very dangerous malaria tropica, the rest with malaria tertiana.
  • AIDS, HIV
  • Amoebic dysentery
  • Bacterial agitation
  • Schistosomiasis
  • Cholera, an infection risk only exists for travelers who can come into contact with contaminated 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
  • Filariasis
  • Yellow fever
  • Hepatitis A and B, an infection with hepatitis B, is only to be expected in people who can come into contact with blood or in those who seek sexual contact.
  • Lambliasis
  • Polio, polio
  • Sleeping sickness
  • rabies
  • Typhoid fever, an infection risk only exists 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 in your home country
  • Yellow fever, absolutely!
  • Hepatitis A and B, a vaccination against hepatitis B, is only required for people who may come into contact with blood or for those who seek sexual contact.
  • Polio, polio, a vaccination against polio should always exist, also in the home country
  • Meningococcal meningitis
  • Tetanus, a vaccination against tetanus should always exist in the home country
  • Rabies, but only for people who can come into contact with infected animals
  • Typhoid, but only in travelers who may come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food

Compulsory vaccination

When entering and staying in Guinea Bissau, all persons who are older than one year and who come from a yellow fever infection area designated by the WHO are required to be vaccinated against yellow fever.

Yellow fever vaccination for children

In most of the countries where yellow fever vaccination is mandatory, this also applies to children over 1 year of age, in some countries even from 6 months. It should be noted that vaccination against yellow fever had a number of side effects, such as encephalitis. Around two thirds of those affected were children under 6 months. Therefore, children under this age are not allowed under any circumstancesbe 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!

Malaria prophylaxis

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

Warning notices

Foreign Office (AA) of the Federal Republic of Germany

Citizens Service

Unit 040

D-11013 Berlin

Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 5000 – 2000

Fax: 0049 – (0) 30 – 5000 – 51000

www.auswaertiges-amt.de

Guinea-Bissau: Currency, Shopping, and Exchange Rate

The national currency of Guinea-Bissau is the CFA Franc

1 CFA Franc = 100 Centimes.

Guinea-Bissau is part of the West African Economic and Monetary Union. The ISO 4217 code of the Franc CFA here is XOF. 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’Ivoire, 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 West African Economic and Monetary Union, the exchange rate is:

1 Euro (€) = 655.957 CFA francs (XOF)

Shop

Shop opening times

The shops in Guinea-Bissau are generally open on weekdays from 7:30 am to 12:30 pm and from 2:30 pm to 6:30 pm.

Inexpensive or country-specific goods, souvenirs

Tourists like to buy wood carvings and other traditional handicrafts in Guinea-Bissau.

Guinea-Bissau: Diplomatic missions

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

German representations in Guinea-Bissau

The Federal Republic of Germany has no representation in Guinea-Bissau. The embassy is responsible for:

Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Senegal

20, Avenue Pasteur, intersection Rue Mermoz

Dakar, Senegal

Tel: 00221 – (0) 338 – 894 884

E-Mail: info@dakar.diplo.de

www.dakar.diplo.de

The German Embassy in Senegal is still responsible for:

  • Gambia
  • Cape Verde

Representations of Guinea-Bissau in Germany

Guinea-Bissau does not have a diplomatic representation in Germany; the embassy in Brussels, Belgium, is responsible.

Embassy in Brussels

70 Avenue Franklin Roosevelt

1050 Brussels

Tel: 0032 – (0) 22 – 905 181

Email: embassy_belgium@guineabissau-government.com

Austrian representations in Guinea-Bissau

The Federal Republic of Austria has no representation in Guinea-Bissau. The embassy is responsible for:

Embassy in Senegal

18, rue Emile Zola

Dakar

Tel: 00221 – (0) 33 – 849 4000

Email: dakar-ob@bmeia.gv.at

The Austrian Embassy in Senegal is still responsible for:

  • Burkina Faso
  • Ivory Coast
  • Gambia
  • Guinea
  • Cape Verde
  • Liberia
  • Mali
  • Niger
  • Sierra Leone

Representations of Guinea-Bissau in Austrian

Guinea-Bissau has no diplomatic missions in Austria. The embassy in Brussels is responsible.

Swiss representations in Guinea-Bissau

Switzerland does not have an embassy in Guinea-Bissau, but is represented by a consulate. The embassy is responsible for:

Embassy of Switzerland in Senegal

Rue René N’Diaye Intersection Rue Seydou

Nourou Tall

Dakar

Senegal

Tel: 00221 – (0) 33 – 823 0590

Email: dak.vertretung@eda.admin.ch

The Swiss Embassy in Senegal is still responsible for:

  • Gambia
  • Cape Verde
  • Mali
  • Mauritania

Swiss Consulate in Guinea-Bissau

s/c UICN, Apartado 23

1031 Codex Bissau

Tel: 00245 – 320 1230

Email: nelson.gomes.dias@iucn.org

Representations of Guinea-Bissau in Switzerland

Guinea-Bissau does not have a representation in Switzerland; the embassy in Brussels is responsible.

Travel to Guinea-Bissau