Transportation in Mauritius
Bus, cabs, motorcycle, helicopter, boat and now a light rail system. It is easy to move around Mauritius. The country benefits from a relatively extensive and convenient transport network, which extends to the North, the South, the East and the West. The tramway only operates on the outskirts of the cities for now.
The bus network in Mauritius
Mauritius has a bus network that provides service from 5:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. in urban areas and from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. in rural areas.
It is shared between public, regional and private operators, including:
- TBS - Triolet Bus Service);
- MBT - Mauritian Bus Transport;
- NTC - National Transport Corporation;
- UBS - United Bus Service;
- RHT - Rose Hill Transport;
- Luna Transport Company.
This network covers a very large part of the island, with many stops throughout the villages and towns. Click here to find out which bus numbers to use for your destinations.
Which bus should you take?
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has compiled all the buses serving the island and their numbers. Click here to see the bus stops for each line.
As for Port-Louis, the capital has 2 main bus stations: Gare du Nord and Victoria Urban Terminal, both connected by shuttles. Each town in Mauritius also has its own central station. To find it, just ask for directions!
Bus fares
To travel by bus, it is imperative to have change. Tickets are purchased on board, often after the bus has started. Indeed, the bus conductor passes by each passenger to ask about the destination and collect payment.
Fares are calculated according to the distance traveled, so they increase approximately every 1.6 km.
Here are the rates applicable since May 8, 2022:
- Stage 1: from Rs 12 to Rs 17;
- Stage 2: from Rs 18 to Rs 24;
- Stages 3–4: from Rs 24 to Rs 30;
- Stages 5–6: from Rs 27 to Rs 35;
- Stages 7–8: from Rs 30 to Rs 39;
- Stage 12: from Rs 31 to Rs 41;
- Stages 13–30: from Rs 34 to Rs 44;
- Stages 31–39: from Rs 37 to Rs 47.
Useful link:
Good to know:
For a few extra rupees, you can take one of the many air-conditioned buses that serve not only the major towns but also the north of the island. You will also find a special bus to and from the airport in Plaine Magnien. Of course, elderly or pregnant people have priority for seats! It is not uncommon to see ticket inspectors boarding the buses to check passengers' tickets. Any offender risks a fine.
The Metro Express in Mauritius
The tramway, also called Metro Express, began operating between Port-Louis and Rose Hill in December 2019.
Today, it connects Port-Louis to Curepipe every day, from Monday to Sunday, including public holidays, from 06:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and it allows the population to move in a modern, safe and comfortable way over 26 km.
The tramway, or "metro" as it is commonly called, passes through Port-Louis, Beau Bassin–Rose – Hill, Ébène, Quatre Bornes, Vacoas–Phoenix and Curepipe. There are currently 20 stations from Port-Louis to Curepipe, including 6 major stations adjacent to bus stations.
The current Metro Express stops include:
On the Curepipe–Port-Louis line:
- Central Curepipe;
- North of Curepipe;
- Floréal;
- Sadally;
- Vacoas Center;
- Palmerston;
- Phoenix Mall;
- Phoenix;
- Trianon;
- St. John;
- Quatre Bornes Center;
- Belle Rose;
- Rose Hill Center;
- Ébène;
- Vandermeersch;
- Beau Bassin;
- Barkly;
- Coromandel;
- St Louis;
- Port-Louis Victoria;
- Place d'Armes.
On the Rose-Hill–Ébène line:
- Rose-Hill;
- Ébène;
- Réduit.
In the coming years, the light rail service should be extended to the rest of the island, starting with the east very soon.
Facilities for users
Drivers
Metro Express users can park their cars in a specially dedicated parking lot in Coromandel with a capacity of 250 vehicles, including spaces for the disabled. Two other similar parking facilities are available, one in Phoenix and the other in Vacoas.
Cyclists
Those who ride to the Metro Express station have several spaces to park their two-wheelers:
- Rose-Hill Central: sheltered and secure space with 24 bike racks;
- All stations: 12 bike racks;
- Direct road access to bikes within a 1–2 km radius of stations.
Metro Express tickets
The ticket price is calculated according to the number of zones covered. For the time being, it starts at Rs 32 and can go up to Rs 52 per trip.
To buy a single-use ticket, simply go to one of the many automated ticketing machines on all stations, then select the "SINGLE USE TICKET" option. The following steps are indicated on the screen and are easy to follow.
The MECard
Regular Metro Express riders can save between 5 and 10% per trip with the MECard.
The MECard is designed for all segments of the population, so it is available in 6 categories:
- Adult: Rs 200 (including a 100 rupee top-up);
- Child: Rs 150 (including a 50 rupees top-up);
- Student: Rs 100;
- Senior citizen: Free (for retired citizens aged 60 and over);
- Priority: Free (for citizens with reduced mobility).
- Privilege: varies depending on travelers, who can choose between the daily, monthly, weekly and yearly options according to their budget.
The purchase and refill of the card are done at the dedicated MECard counters.
Driver services in Mauritius
If you need a driver, for example, if you're planning a night out, many companies are currently offering this type of service. Below are a few examples:
My Chauffeur: A subsidiary of RHT Holding Ltd., the company takes care of one-off and business trips for both the public and companies. You can download its mobile application from the Internet, book a car 24/7, and even request a female driver.
Europcar - Chauffeur services: The car rental specialist offers to hire a driver by the day for Rs 900 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and Rs 160 per additional hour (including VAT).
Hire Car Mauritius: This company, based in Quatre Bornes, offers an extensive chauffeur service for both individuals and companies. Its fleet is composed of a sedan car, a Toyota Wish, a Minivan, a Minibus, a BMW 7 Series, a BMW X5 and a Mercedes V class.
Taxi services in Mauritius
While Uber and other similar cab apps do not exist in Mauritius, many taxis operate in dedicated locations. You can find them near hotels, train stations, beaches and shopping centers. In addition, restaurants, bars, pubs, or nightclubs also usually have a list of cabs in case of an emergency. Don't hesitate to try out cabs near your home, and keep the contacts of those you feel you can trust.
There is no set rate for taxis. Thus, it is difficult to give you an acceptable average cab fare.
Taxis operating with licenses have yellow plates on the doors indicating where they operate. Be careful, as many operate without a license, and if the cab is subject to a police routine check, both the driver and the passenger are liable to a fine.
Useful links:
Expat.com – Cars for sale in Mauritius
Traveling to Mauritius by air
Air Mauritius offers about 30 weekly flights to and from major European cities, including 3 flights between London and Mauritius.
You can book your flight to Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle and many other UK cities via London. British Airways, Air Austral, Air France, Air Seychelles, Air India, Kenya Airways, Emirates, South African Airways, Air Zimbabwe, Condor, Corsair Fly and Turkish Airlines are other airlines that fly to Mauritius.
Useful links:
Ships in Mauritius
At the date of publication of this guide, the Trochetia is the only ship in service between Mauritius and Rodrigues. A boat trip to Rodrigues has several advantages: it is cheaper than a flight, the port of embarkation is located in Port-Louis, and boarding takes place one hour before departure.
The Trochetia serves as both a cargo ship and a passenger ferry. It can accommodate a maximum of 112 passengers exclusively in cabins of different categories (luxury, semi-luxury, first and second class).
Useful links:
