As Ghana's largest city, and economic, administrative and communications centre, Accra is well connected with a variety of Accra transportation options available. Take a look at our Accra Transportation Guide below for some handy tips on how to get to and around Accra. We have also provided contact details for some reputable transportation providers in Accra. Taking a tour of Accra with a local guide is a great way to see the city sights. If you need details on how to get around Ghana, check out our Ghana Transportation Guide.

Accra Transportation Guide

Public transport in Accra is easily available, with a variety of privately run mini-buses that are commonly called Tro-Tros, taxicabs and buses. The most popular form of public transport in Accra is the Tro-Tros, which are usually mini-buses and travel on well-known routes. While they are cheap and run at frequent intervals, they can be in bad shape and are usually over-crowded. Taxis also run the regular routes, but will be more expensive though more comfortable. The city introduced a metro bus service in 2002, which has increased in popularity, even though it was greeted with skepticism early on.

Getting to Accra

By Air

It is usually easiest to travel to Ghana by air. Most of the major airlines, including Lufthansa, Alitalia, KLM, South-African Airlines, British Airways, Egypt Air, Afriquiya and Apstar, which is the replacement of Ghana Airways, fly into Accra.

Accra's airport is Kotoka International Airport, which is not yet a large airport but is expanding. There are some restaurants, cafés, an Internet café and a call centre at the airport in Accra. Most airlines have their offices here as well, in case you need to confirm your return flight. Taxis are easily available from the airport.

Kotoka International Airport (IATA: ACC, ICAO: DGAA) is located in Accra and is Ghana's most important and largest airport, which is ready to handle the larger planes such as the Airbus A380. Kotoka International is operated by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority and is the home base for the Ghana International Airlines that replaced Ghana Airways in the year 2004. The airport also houses a large facility for the Ghana Air Force. The airport is named after Col. Emmanuel Kotoka, who was killed in 1967 near the airport during the attempted ‘Guitar Boy' coup.

In 2004, new arrival and departure terminals opened at KIA, although the gangways were not completed. Shuttle buses take passengers from the terminal to the aircraft.

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Getting around Accra

SUV or Car with Driver

There are lots of options available for renting an SUV or a sedan. Drivers usually earn about $ 15 a day in Accra. To get a car, you can book directly from Accra car rental companies such as Avis or a local rental company, which are usually located at larger hotels such as La Palm, Golden Tulip and La Badi Beach. Most cars are available at shorter notice but for SUVs it is best to book in advance. In general, rates for a car and driver are around $ 9 (or 80,000 Cedis) an hour. A ten-hour day trip will cost you $ 75, excluding fuel costs. Rental rates will increase if you leave the metro region of Accra, since the roads can be quite bad outside the city.

On foot

While Accra is a relatively safe place to walk in both during the day and night (in many areas), do keep a look out for open sewers and vehicles.

By taxi

To flag down a taxi in Accra, wave your arm in the air with your finger pointed downwards to the ground.

Busy streets will have lots of taxis wanting you as a passenger. Since there are no meters on taxis in Ghana, you will have to negotiate the cost before starting the trip. The best way is to ask a local how much it costs to reach a particular destination.

Taxis in Accra are easy to spot as they have different coloured paint for the two front side panels and for the two rear side panels than the rest of the taxi.

Accra taxis also have a number plate with black lettering on a yellow background, while private vehicles have black lettering on a white background.

Metered Taxi

There are a few metered taxis in Accra, but they cost more than the regular ones, so make sure you know how much your journey should cost.

Share Taxi

Shared taxis follow a fixed route and have fixed rates for each passenger, making them a great way to travel around Accra. Since the rate is not based on the number of passengers in the vehicle, you might be lucky to travel in the taxi by yourself but pay only a fifth of the full rate that you would have paid if you had flagged it down.

Tro Tros

These are the most crowded form of Accra transportation, and quite dilapidated as well, since only old mini-buses are converted into Tro Tros. Travelling along well-known city routes with several stops, the driver's assistant or ‘mate' will yell out the destination as it approaches a stop. Be aware that not all stops are marked along the route and that Tro Tros can be dangerous since drivers are often drunk and you're more than likely to be cheated.