public transport in tunis, part 1
I’ve used Tunis public transport most days I’ve been in the city. There are buses, a metro system, light rail going from Centreville to the banlieue nord (TGM), and collective taxis and louages, so options for transport that don’t require owning your own vehicle are actually very abundant and often very nice.
Comfort levels vary between methods of transport. Here’s a quick run-down for anyone trying to figure out how to get around:
Louages, or mini-buses, between cities are very very fast and may at one point or another involve sitting next to a small old woman vomiting into a bag. They can be intense when traveling for several hours, and after a few attempts to like them, not my favorite long distance travel method. However, they’re often the quickest and most reliable way to get between cities that aren’t served on train lines or with frequent buses. The two main louage stations for travel outside of Tunis are in Moncef Bey and Bab Alioua.
Cultural note: Louage is a Tunisian word that I love because it’s an invented French word that might roughly translate to “rentation.”
Here are a couple videos from my first louage trip:
(driver bumping mezwed, 106 year old man sleeping)
louage turn up with tisem:
Taxi jam3y, or collective taxis within the city, are similarly speedy, but comfortable and usually only for short distances on relatively fixed routes, so I enjoy taking them. They are yellow mini-buses, and if you keep your eyes peeled it’s not hard to spot where they are waiting. You can find many of them waiting near the TGM station in Centreville on fixed loops to La Marsa, El Kram, etc. While in the cab, people typically pass money from the back to driver at some point during the ride, and people will often hand you money to give to the driver. You will get back correct change and fellow passengers will most likely be incredibly kind and helpful if you’re confused.
The metro is comfortable but not the speediest option and typically packed during rush hour. A map is available online (pictured below), and can also be found on the walls of some major connecting stations like Republique. The map definitely needs some visual edits, and the lack of signage and posted maps to access the metro outside of Centreville is a post for another day.
(http://www.urbanrail.net/af/tunis/tunis.htm)
TGM is a metro going from Centreville to La Goulette, Le Kram, Carthage, Sidi Bou Said, and La Marsa. It has a regular schedule posted and has always been comfortable, though I recently rode it around 9PM and realized I was the only woman in the car. Here’s a TGM map:
The bus is still a mystery to me -- Tunis has a mix of public and private bus companies with varying levels of comfort. There is no signage or maps in stations to indicate where buses go. Waiting can take an incredibly long time (I’ve given up after 30-40 minutes and hailed cabs more than once). On two occasions, while waiting alone for a bus, strange men pulled up cars next to me and attempted to solicit me (you are scum!). On one occasion, as I walked towards a bus, the bus driver looked at me and closed the doors because I wasn’t approaching with enough urgency. Womp. That being said, I do know women who take the bus daily without issue. There should be a schedule online but the link has never worked for me. Here it is in case it is someday functioning.
Taxis are safe and cheap, but occasionally require some stern bullshit detection -- make sure the meter is on. Expect hailing one to take forever in some areas or during rush hour.
Biking around Tunis, which is something I dream about daily, is not a common activity and I’m yet to muster up the courage to get around on two wheels here.
More on public transport coming soon...