There are at least two flights a week from Paris to Chad and several times a week from Congo, Ethiopia and the Central African Republic. Airlines serving Chad include Air France, Cameroon Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines.

From N’Djaména to Paris is five hours 30 minutes. There are no direct flights or good connections for those travelling from London. Overnight transit costs may be covered by some airlines.

N’Djaména (NDJ) is 4km (2.5 miles) northwest of the city. To/from the airport: Taxis are available, operating 24 hours, for a fare of about XAF5000. Facilities: Post office, car hire, refreshments and bar, as well as restaurants.

XAF5000 (tourist tax) and XAF3000 (security tax). Students and transit passengers continuing their journey within 24 hours are exempt.

There is no railway network in Chad. There have been long-standing plans for a rail link with Cameroon but construction is not yet underway.

There are routes from Cameroon, Central African Republic, Niger and Nigeria. The border between Cameroon and Chad is the River Logone, which flows into Lake Chad. Boats ply across the river (there is no bridge). Access from Nigeria is via a sliver of northern Cameroon. There is a road from N’Djaména via Sarh to the Central African Republic. The road from N’Djaména to Maidguri in Niger is paved. Roads can be inaccessible during the rainy season and the best time to travel by road is between November and May. It is not possible, or advisable, to cross the border from Sudan. Care should be taken when travelling in the area around the border with Cameroon as there have been reports of armed bandits. Bus: Minibuses and bush taxis operate between N’Djaména and Kousséri in Cameroon. Rudimentary public transport is available to the Central African Republic, Niger and Nigeria, although it may be necessary to change vehicles at the border.

At present, there is a poor domestic service by Air Tchad connecting N’Djaména to Maundou, Sarh and Mao. Enquire at the Direction de la Promotion Touristique for further details; see Top Things To See & Do.

Travel by road outside N’Djaména is possible by 4-wheel-drive vehicle and permits are usually needed. In rural areas drivers should watch out for livestock. There are also no emergency services so drivers should exercise extreme caution. Road service is limited to Good Samaritans. Buses run fairly regularly to Sarh during the dry season. Security conditions and a lack of housing, food, petrol and vehicle repair facilities have resulted in the Government restricting travel, especially in the central and northern areas of the country. Petrol is expensive and petrol stations are not widely available. Many roads urgently need repair, and are impassable during the rainy season, especially in the south. It is advised to travel in convoy, keep doors locked, carry spare fuel and supplies, and not travel after dark, due to the potential for highway bandits. Traffic drives on the right. For travel to all areas outside N'Djaména, authorisation from the Ministry of the Interior is required, which is usually granted without difficulty after a few days. Documentation: International Driving Permit required for car hire (which is expensive) as well as an official autorisation de circuler.

The city of N’Djaména has an adequate road system and there are limited self-drive and chauffeured car hire facilities. Minibuses and taxis operate in N’Djaména, with a flat fare charged. A 10 per cent tip is expected by taxi drivers.