Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau: Various travel information

How do you get to Guinea-Bissau?
Airplane
Direct flights from Europe only go from Lisbon to Bissau. Such connections are
guaranteed by TAP, which flies the route several times a week. With the TACV you
can fly daily from Dakar (Senegal) to Guinea-Bissau.
Ships
Bissau also has a sea port.
Car
Paved roads lead to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau. In the rainy season, however, the
roads are partially impassable.
Travel in the country
Air connections
Guinea-Bissa has ten small landing strips. Flights are offered to the Bijagós
Islands, among others.
Railways
There is no railroad network in Guinea-Bissau.
Bus
There are some bus connections in the country. However, it should be noted that
buses are more likely to be used by the locals and are more scary for tourists
(from the West). They do not meet the European safety standard, are overcrowded
and unpunctual. Bus timetables and stops do not exist. You give the driver to
understand when you want to get out. Buses are usually stopped directly on the
street.
Roads
The road network covers around 4,200 km, around 450 km of which are paved.
Car and rental
car An international driver's license is recommended for rental cars.
There is a risk of mines when driving overland. In general, it is not
recommended to drive at night, alone and away from the paved roads. The road
conditions in the country are usually so catastrophic that you can easily need
an hour to move ten kilometers forward. In the rainy season, roads can be
completely flooded and therefore impassable. The almost complete lack of street
signs makes things even more difficult.
Taxis
Long-distance taxis are available. Foreigners should only order
taxis from the hotel and negotiate the fare before starting the
journey; otherwise you pay an overpriced tariff.
Ferry connections
Almost all cities and regions in the country are connected by ships or
boats. There are ferry services between Bissau and Bolama (depending on the
tide) and between Bissau and Bafat. Coastal ferries run between Bissau and the
north coast.
Traffic rules
In order to avoid trouble, drivers should strictly adhere to the traffic
regulations that apply in the country. Regardless of the information given here,
it is advisable to obtain more detailed information from the ADAC or the AvD.
Top speeds
- Urban areas: The speed limit is 60 km/h in cities and 50 km/h in
villages.
- Country roads: There is a speed limit of 100 km/h on country roads.
In addition, it is of course necessary to pay attention to the current local
speed limits, which are indicated by traffic signs.
Special regulations
In Guinea-Bissau, the Portuguese traffic rules from 1954 still apply.
Alcohol limit
The official alcohol limit in Guinea-Bissau for drivers of motor vehicles is 2.5
per mille !!!! However, there are no ways to control this.
International license plate
According to
Abbreviationfinder, Guinea-Bissau's international license plate is:
Entry and exit regulations
Formalities, visas
Tourists from Germany, Austria and Switzerland need a passport that is valid
for at least six months, a visa and a return or onward ticket to enter
Guinea-Bissau. Furthermore, sufficient funds for the stay must be proven.
Issuing visas in Germany
Guinea-Bissau does not have a diplomatic representation in Germany; the embassy
in Belgium and the honorary consulate in Luxembourg are responsible.
Import and export of foreign currency
- Local currency
The import and export of the local currency is prohibited.
- Foreign currencies
There is no limit to the import of foreign currencies, but a declaration is
required for amounts of 5,000 US dollars or more. The export is limited to
the amount declared upon entry.
Import and export of goods
The following articles may be imported into Guinea-Bissau duty-free (no age
limit):
Tobacco products and perfume in opened bottles for personal use.
Guinea-Bissau: Travel Medicine, Vaccinations and Warnings
Infectious Diseases
In Guinea Bissau, the following infectious diseases, which do not occur or
are less common in Germany, Austria or Switzerland, are to be expected:
- Malaria, there is a relatively high risk of malaria in
the country all year round and also in the cities. Over 90% of the
infections occur with the very dangerous malaria tropica, the rest with
malaria tertiana.
- AIDS, HIV
- Amoebic dysentery
- Bacterial agitation
- Schistosomiasis
- Cholera, an infection risk only exists for travelers
who can come into contact with contaminated water or contaminated food
- Intestinal infections from contaminated food or water,
including amoeba, lamblia, salmonella, shigella and worm infestation, as
well as all kinds of viruses and bacteria
- Filariasis
- Yellow fever
- Hepatitis A and B, an infection with hepatitis B, is
only to be expected in people who can come into contact with blood or in
those who seek sexual contact.
- Lambliasis
- Polio, polio
- Sleeping sickness
- rabies
- Typhoid fever, an infection risk only exists for
travelers who come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food
- Tick bite fever
Vaccination recommendations
- Cholera, but only among travelers who can come into
contact with polluted water or contaminated food
- Diphtheria, a vaccination against diphtheria should
always exist in your home country
- Yellow fever, absolutely!
- Hepatitis A and B, a vaccination against hepatitis B,
is only required for people who may come into contact with blood or for
those who seek sexual contact.
- Polio, polio, a vaccination against polio should
always exist, also in the home country
- Meningococcal meningitis
- Tetanus, a vaccination against tetanus should always
exist in the home country
- Rabies, but only for people who can come into contact
with infected animals
- Typhoid, but only in travelers who may come into
contact with polluted water or contaminated food
Compulsory vaccination
When entering and staying in Guinea Bissau, all persons who are older
than one year and who come from a yellow fever infection area designated by the
WHO are required to be vaccinated against yellow fever.
Yellow fever vaccination for children
In most of the countries where yellow fever vaccination is mandatory, this also
applies to children over 1 year of age, in some countries even from 6 months. It
should be noted that vaccination against yellow fever had a number of side
effects, such as encephalitis. Around two thirds of those affected were children
under 6 months. Therefore, children under this age are not allowed
under any circumstancesbe vaccinated. But children under one
year of age should also not be vaccinated if possible. If in doubt, yellow fever
infection areas must then be avoided. Any vaccination against yellow fever may
only be carried out in specially authorized yellow fever vaccination centers!
Malaria prophylaxis
When traveling in the country, it is strongly advised to undergo malaria
prophylaxis. If the side effects seem questionable to you, you should at least
have a "stand-by preparation" with you.
Warning notices
Foreign Office (AA) of the Federal Republic of
Germany
Citizens Service
Unit 040
D-11013 Berlin
Tel: 0049 - (0) 30 - 5000 - 2000
Fax: 0049 - (0) 30 - 5000 - 51000
www.auswaertiges-amt.de
Guinea-Bissau: Currency, Shopping, and Exchange Rate
The national currency of Guinea-Bissau is the CFA Franc
1 CFA Franc = 100 Centimes.
Guinea-Bissau is part of the West African Economic and Monetary Union. The
ISO 4217 code of the Franc CFA here is XOF. The CFA franc
(Communanté Financiére Africaine) is the currency in 14 African countries that
were usually French colonies in the past: Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Cameroon,
Republic of the Congo, Chad, Central African Republic, Benin, Burkina-Faso, Côte
d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo. It is tied to the
euro. The exchange rate of the euro and the CFA franc is therefore always the
same as the CFA franc is pegged to the euro (it was pegged to the franc before
the euro was introduced). For countries that belong to the West African Economic
and Monetary Union, the exchange rate is:
1 Euro (€) = 655.957 CFA francs (XOF)
Shop
Shop opening times
The shops in Guinea-Bissau are generally open on weekdays from 7:30 am
to 12:30 pm and from 2:30 pm to 6:30 pm.
Inexpensive or country-specific goods, souvenirs
Tourists like to buy wood carvings and other traditional handicrafts in
Guinea-Bissau.
Guinea-Bissau: Diplomatic missions
Visit
Countryaah for a full list of Guinea-Bissau embassies and consulates in each
country around the world.

German representations in Guinea-Bissau
The Federal Republic of Germany has no representation in Guinea-Bissau. The
embassy is responsible for:
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Senegal
20, Avenue Pasteur, intersection Rue Mermoz
Dakar, Senegal
Tel: 00221 - (0) 338 - 894 884
E-Mail: [email protected]
www.dakar.diplo.de
The German Embassy in Senegal is still responsible for:
Representations of Guinea-Bissau in Germany
Guinea-Bissau does not have a diplomatic representation in Germany; the
embassy in Brussels, Belgium, is responsible.
Embassy in Brussels
70 Avenue Franklin Roosevelt
1050 Brussels
Tel: 0032 - (0) 22 - 905 181
Email: [email protected]
Austrian representations in Guinea-Bissau
The Federal Republic of Austria has no representation in Guinea-Bissau. The
embassy is responsible for:
Embassy in Senegal
18, rue Emile Zola
Dakar
Tel: 00221 - (0) 33 - 849 4000
Email: [email protected]
The Austrian Embassy in Senegal is still responsible for:
- Burkina Faso
- Ivory Coast
- Gambia
- Guinea
- Cape Verde
- Liberia
- Mali
- Niger
- Sierra Leone
Representations of Guinea-Bissau in Austrian
Guinea-Bissau has no diplomatic missions in Austria. The embassy in Brussels
is responsible.
Swiss representations in Guinea-Bissau
Switzerland does not have an embassy in Guinea-Bissau, but is represented by
a consulate. The embassy is responsible for:
Embassy of Switzerland in Senegal
Rue René N'Diaye Intersection Rue Seydou
Nourou Tall
Dakar
Senegal
Tel: 00221 - (0) 33 - 823 0590
Email: [email protected]
The Swiss Embassy in Senegal is still responsible for:
- Gambia
- Cape Verde
- Mali
- Mauritania
Swiss Consulate in Guinea-Bissau
s/c UICN, Apartado 23
1031 Codex Bissau
Tel: 00245 - 320 1230
Email: [email protected]
Representations of Guinea-Bissau in Switzerland
Guinea-Bissau does not have a representation in Switzerland; the embassy in
Brussels is responsible.
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