Transport in Misurata

Now there are 2 options, you can even fly out from the same Misurata Airport to Istanbul and get a connection there. Many Asians use this option to catch a transit flight to India and the Philippines. You can also reach most of Europe this way. Second option is to drive to Tripoli first then catch a plane from Tripoli Airport, which gives you easier access to direct flights into Europe and the rest of the world. This is the only way to fly direct to the UK for instance (Tripoli-London Gatwick on Afriqiyah).

Driving from Tripoli to Misurata

If you've landed in Tripoli Airport, you'll need to catch a ride to Misurata, it takes about 3 and half hour on the straight forward costal road. If you don't have your own car, you can rent one, in Libya that means you pay someone to drive you there in their car or use a louage. In the latter case, you may need to catch a taxi to the louage station first. By the way a louage is a 7 to 9 seaters that drives people long distance between the main cities in Libya. You book 1 seat for yourself and wait for the car to be full, once it's full you hit the road. It's much easier than it sounds since louage is very popular and they fill up quickly.

Is it safe? I'd say yes, i have used both systems with my family and people here are trustworthy so you'll get to your destination. I wouldn't advice women travelling alone this way however, some people might get the wrong idea although i haven't heard of anything bad happening this way, just common sense precaution.

Getting out and about in Misurata

That's where it is difficult, really you need your own car because in Misurata, there is NO public bus service and NO official taxi service either! So how do you go places until you buy your car? You can count on the generosity and helpfulness of the Libyan people.. i mean what i say. There is a semi-established system of "thumb-a-lift-taxi" by which you stand by the side of the road (anywhere) and lift your thumb. Someone will stop and ask you where you're going, you tell them, they take you. Simple as that and it does really work well. You don't usually have to wait more than a few minutes and it is safe as everyone does it, Libyans and non Libyans. In terms of cost, it's a 1-2-1 agreement and you'll pay from nothing (free ride) to about 5 Libyan Dinars (LD) for short ride within the city and there's always room for haggling. It does get tiresome in the end however so if you plan to live there, it's best to buy your own car as soon as you can.

Anything else?

yes, driving is Libya is very..... Libyan :) it takes some getting used to. I advise you to stay in the passenger's seat for a while to give you time to understand how things work because you'll soon realise that what you learnt when you took your driving licence test doesn't apply here!

Enjoy Libya it's a great place to be!