Travel to Niger

Niger: Various travel information

How do you get to Niger?

Airplane

Niger has two international (and 25 domestic) airports. These are located in Niamey and Agadez. Niamey is connected to both West Africa and Europe, but the only airline that flies direct to Niger from outside Africa is Air France. It ensures a connection from Paris to Niamey. Charter flights are offered by Point Afrique between Niamey or Agadez and Paris and Marseille. Royal Air Maroc also flies to Niger via Casablanca. The Afriqiyah flies to Niger via the Libyan capital Tripoli.

Car/Bus

A main road leads from Kano in Nigeria to Zinder in Niger. Other highways go from Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali to Niger. The most important Transsahara desert road leads from Algiers to Asamakka and Arlit in Niger. But this route is more for the adventurous. There are also bus connections from Burkina Faso, Benin and Mali to Niger.

Shipping

The Niger River is navigable from Nigeria from mid-December to March. During this time there will be a line to Niamey.

Travel in the country

Air connections There are

national air connections between Niamey and Agadez, Zinder, Arlit and Maradi. Charter flights can also be booked.

Railways

There is no railroad network in Niger.

Bus

There are bus connections between the larger towns, i.e. on the main routes in the country. In the more remote parts of the country there is the possibility of traveling as a passenger in trucks. The buses are very expensive, very hot inside and not entirely harmless, if such a journey is atmospheric, authentic and interesting. For some routes you will be on the road for several days, even if they are not necessarily long. The big buses are new Mercedes-Benz. They have a soldier on board at night

Ferry connections

The country has about 300 km of navigable waterways.

Taxis

In the capital Niamey, taxis cost relatively little for shorter distances, while for double francs you can travel almost anywhere in the city. The prices for trips from the airport, on the other hand, are very expensive and should be negotiated well before departure. It is therefore advisable to leave the airport on foot and go a little south, where you can stop a van on the main road that will bring you to the Grand Marché for little money – luggage included.

Car traffic

The country has around 10,000 km of all-weather roads, of which only 800 km are paved. The main roads in the country lead from Niamey to Zinder, Tahoua, Arlit and Gaya. The side streets are often not passable during the rainy season. All wheel drive is required. However, you may only travel on the route that was noted by the police in your passport at the place of departure. By the way, almost all paved roads in Niger are subject to tolls. Opposite them are the adventurous slopes in the desert, which are marked on the maps, but are often only marked with car tires and barrels.

Rental

cars Outside the capital, rental cars can only be rented with a driver. An international driving license and a “Carnet de Passage” (two passport photos) are required for this. Otherwise you won’t find any rental cars in the country, although Hertz has had a branch in Niamey since 2005.

International license plate

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

RN

Tourist office

Tourist office of the Espace Entente

(Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Niger, Togo)

Tempelhofer Weg 2

12099 Berlin

Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 68 30 21 93

Email: berlin.office@westafrika.de

Ministere du Tourisme et de l’Artisanat au Niger

www.niger-tourisme.com

Niger: entry and exit regulations

Formalities, visas

To enter Niger, tourists need a passport that is still valid for six months, a visa and a return or onward travel ticket as well as a valid yellow fever vaccination.

Visa department of the Embassy of Niger

Dürenstrasse 9

53173 Bonn

Tel: 0049 – (0) 228 – 350 27 82

Email: ambaniger@t-online.de

Issuing of visas in Austria and Switzerland

See under Representations of Niger in Austria and Switzerland.

Local currency, foreign exchange

The national currency of Niger is the CFA Franc

1 CFA franc = 100 centimes.

Niger 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’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 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 conversion rate is:

1 Euro (€) = 655.957 CFA Franc (XOF)

  • Importing and exporting the national currency The importation of the national currency is unlimited, the export is permitted up to an amount of 25,000 CFA Francs.
  • Import and export of foreign currenciesThe import and export of foreign currencies is permitted without restriction.

Goods and customs regulations

Customs regulations

People over 15 years of age are allowed to import 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 25 cigars or 250 g tobacco, as well as 1 liter of wine and 1 liter of spirits duty-free into Niger, as well as 250 ml of perfume and 500 ml of eau de toilette. The import of pornographic articles is prohibited. A special permit is required to import sports rifles. The export of antique works of art is not permitted. A special permit is required for receiving and transmitting devices.

Cheap goods, souvenirs

Popular souvenirs are traditional jewelry and decorated calabashes,

weaving and carpets, as well as leather goods and

local ceramics, but also Tuareg sabers and daggers

Niger: Travel Medicine, Risks

Infectious Diseases

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

  • Malaria: There is a year-round risk of infection nationwide, including cities. Between 80% and 90% of infections occur with the very dangerous malaria tropica, the rest with malaria tertiana.
  • Amoebic dysentery
  • Bacterial agitation
  • Schistosomiasis
  • cholera
  • Intestinal infections – from contaminated food or water, including amoeba, lamblia, salmonella, shigella, worm infestation and all kinds of viruses and bacteria
  • Yellow fever
  • Guinea worm infection
  • Hepatitis A and B
  • Kala-Azar
  • Polio, polio
  • Leishmaniasis
  • Meningococcal meningitis
  • Polio, polio
  • tetanus
  • rabies
  • typhus

Vaccination recommendations

  • Diphtheria – a vaccination against diphtheria should always exist, also in the home country.
  • Yellow fever – mandatory for entry
  • 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 in 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.

Compulsory vaccination A valid yellow fever vaccination must be proven upon entry.

Yellow fever vaccination of children

In most of the countries where a yellow fever vaccination is required, this also applies to children over one year of age, and in some countries even from six 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 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!

Malaria prophylaxis

When traveling to the country it is strongly advised to avoid malariato undergo prophylaxis. If the side effects seem too serious for you, you should at least carry a “stand-by product” with you.

Niger: Diplomatic missions

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

Representations of Niger in Germany

The building of the Embassy of Niger is located in a beautiful villa on Machnower Strasse in the Berlin district of Zehlendorf in the Steglitz-Zehlendorf district. The Berlin-Zehlendorf S-Bahn station is just over 500 m away. There is also a bus stop for bus routes 101, 623 and N10 near the embassy, with the N standing for night bus.

Embassy in Berlin

Machnower Strasse 24

14165 Berlin

Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 805 89 660

E-Mail: ambaniger@t-online.de

Honorary Consulate in Hamburg

Paulstraße 3

20095 Hamburg

Tel: 0049 – (0) 40 – 33 97 91 16

German representations in Niger

Ambassade de la République fédérale d’Allemagne (without issuing a visa)

Avenue du Général de Gaulle

PO Box 629

Niamey, Niger

Tel: 002 – (0) 27 – 20 72 35 10

002 – (0) 27 – 20 72 40 61

Email: info @ niamey.diplo.de

Austrian representations in Niger

Embassy

The embassy in Dakar/ Senegal is responsible.

Honorary Consulate Niamey (without passport authorization)

468, Avenue des Zarmakoy

Niamey

Tel: 00 227 – 75 50 91

00 227 – 93 55 83

Email: mandelav@intnet.ne

Representations of Niger in Austria

Embassy

The embassy in Geneva, Switzerland, is responsible. (Please refer).

Swiss representations in Niger

The Federal Republic of Austria does not have an embassy in Niger, but is represented by an honorary consulate. The embassy is responsible for:

Embassy of the Federal Republic of Austria 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
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Cape Verde
  • Liberia
  • Mali
  • Sierra Leone

Representations of Niger in Switzerland

Embassy in Geneva

Avenue du Lignon 36 (2nd floor)

1219 Le Lignon/Geneva

Tel: 0041 – (0) 22 – 979 24 50

Email: missionduniger@gmail.com

www.ambassade-niger-geneve.net

 

Travel to Niger