Republic of the Congo: travel information
How do you get to the Republic of the Congo?
Plane
From Europe there are various flight connections via Paris to Brazzaville. These are offered twice a week by Air France. There are no direct flights from Germany, Austria or Switzerland to the Republic of the Congo. Ethiopian Airlines also connects Brazzaville twice a week with the Ethiopian capital Adis-Ababa. Air Gabon operates flights from Libreville in Gabon.
The Republic of the Congo has two international airports, Brazzaville Airport (BZV), which is about four 4 km from the capital, and Pointe-Noire Airport, 6 km from the city center. Both airports are connected to the respective city with the help of taxis.
Ship
A regular ferry connection – several times a day – leads across the Congo from Brazzaville to Kinshasa in the DR Congo. This route is also guaranteed by faster boats. Apart from the formation of sandbanks, which make river traffic impossible, one should also expect that the border between the two Congos can be closed at short notice due to political differences. Ferries to Sokamba in Cameroon depart from Ouosso.
Car traffic
From Lambaréné in Gabon there are roads to Loubomo and Brazzaville. The connecting road from the Congo to Cameroon is impassable in the rainy season. A road leads from Pointe-Noire to Cabinda in Angola. There are also road connections to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Travel in the country
Air connections
There are domestic air connections between Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire via Loubomo and Ouesso. These are offered several times a day. Private planes can also be chartered. However, one should always keep in mind that the technical condition of the Congolese aircraft does not correspond to western standards, so that the aircraft cannot be recommended without reservation. In addition, there are often delays, stopovers and cancellations due to a lack of fuel.
Railway
The Republic of the Congo has about 900 km of railway line. There is a connection between Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire, but you should allow up to three days for this. The trains are also mostly unpunctual and in just as bad condition as the tracks and most of the signal systems, which increases the risk of accidents. Also less pleasant is the fact that in the past there were more frequent attacks on travelers at night at train stations.
Ferry connections
Steamers operate on the Congo and Ubangi. There are a total of 1,250 km of navigable routes in the country. Connections are offered to the Central African Republic, among others. You should plan up to 20 days for this.
Bush taxis and minibuses
The larger cities are connected by bush taxis and minibuses. Since you always leave when the vehicle is full, there is no need for timetables.
Taxis
Taxis operate in major cities such as Brazzaville, Pointe Noire and Dolisie. Before starting your journey, you should always negotiate the price of the fare, for which you can then test your knowledge of French.
Roads and rental cars
Of the total of approx. 13,000 km of road network, around 10% are paved. Many of the unpaved roads are only passable in the dry season and with all-wheel drive. Driving at night is not recommended. Right-hand traffic prevails in the Republic of the Congo. Rental cars are available in Brazzaville from Europcar. An international driver’s license is required to rent a car. Anyone planning to cross the border by car needs a carnet de passage. Because of the high security risk, we strongly advise against traveling to the east and northeast of the country.
International license plate
The international license plate of the Republic of the Congo is:
| RCB |
Republic of the Congo: entry and exit requirements
Formalities, visas
Tourists from EU countries and Switzerland need a valid passport, a visa and a return or onward ticket to enter the Republic of the Congo. A valid yellow fever vaccination must be proven upon entry.
Embassy of the Republic of the Congo
Wallstraße 69
10179 Berlin
Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 494 007 53
Email: botschaftkongobzv@hotmail.de
www.botschaftkongobzv.de
Issuing visas in Austria and Switzerland
See under Representations of the Republic of the Congo in Austria or Representations of the Republic of the Congo in Switzerland.
National currency
The national currency of the Republic of the Congo is the CFA franc:
1 CFA franc = 100 centimes
The Republic of the Congo is part of the Central African Economic and Monetary Union. The ISO 4217 code of the Franc CFA is XAF here.
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’Ivoite, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo. It is tied to the euro.
The exchange rate of the euro and the CFA franc is 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 belonging to the Central African Economic and Monetary Union, the conversion rate is:
1 Euro (€) = 682.671 CFA Franc (XAF)
Import and export of foreign currency and goods
- Local currencyThere is no limit to the import and export of local currency.
- Foreign currenciesThere is no limit to the import and export of foreign currencies, but a declaration is required.
Goods
The following articles can be imported into the Congo duty-free:
200 cigarettes or a box of cigars or tobacco (women are only allowed to import cigarettes!)
1 bottle of spirits and 1 bottle of
perfume wine for personal use (opened).
Notebooks are to be declared in individual cases. The import of weapons is strictly prohibited.
There are exceptions to this after registration and approval for hunting weapons
Republic of the Congo: Travel Medicine, Vaccinations, and Warnings
Infectious Diseases
In the Republic of the Congo, the following infectious diseases are to be expected in Germany and Central and Northern Europe:
- HIV/AIDS is a major problem in the country and a major danger for anyone who is at risk of infection: sexual contact, unclean syringes or cannulas and blood transfusions can pose a considerable risk.
- Malaria: There is a year-round risk of malaria across the country, including cities. About 90% of the infections occur with the very dangerous malaria tropica, the rest with malaria tertiana.
- Schistosomiasis
- cholera
- dengue fever
- Intestinal infections caused by contaminated food or water, including amoebas, lamblia, salmonella, shigella, worm infestation and all kinds of viruses and bacteria
- Ebola, outbreaks of this extremely dangerous viral infectious disease occur again and again, albeit mostly locally
- Filariasis
- Yellow fever
- Hepatitis A and B
- Polio, polio
- Meningococcal meningitis
- Sleeping sickness, transmitted by the tsetse flies (Glossina).
- tetanus
- rabies
- Tick bite fever
Vaccination recommendations
- Diphtheria – a vaccination against diphtheria should always exist, also in the home country.
- Hepatitis A and B
- Polio, polio
- Meningococcal meningitis
- Yellow fever
- Tetanus – a vaccination against tetanus should always exist, also in the home country.
- Rabies – but only for high-risk travelers who can come into contact with the vector animals.
- typhus
Compulsory vaccination
For all people older than one year, there is a compulsory vaccination against a disease with yellow fever.
Yellow fever vaccination for children
In most of the countries in which a yellow fever vaccination is required, this also applies to children over one year of age, in some countries even from six 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 six months. Therefore, under no circumstances should children under this age be 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 product” with you.
Republic of the Congo: Diplomatic missions
Representations of the Republic of the Congo in Germany
The embassy of the Republic of the Congo – not to be confused with the Democratic Republic of the Congo – is based in Berlin-Mitte, very close to the Fischerinsel.
The embassy building is located a few meters from the Australian embassy.
The “Märkisches Museum” station on underground line 2 and the bus stop for bus lines 165 and 265 are in the immediate vicinity.
Embassy of the Republic of the Congo
Wallstrasse 69
10179 Berlin
Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 4940 07 53 or 494007 78
Email: botschaftkongobzv@hotmail.de
German representations in the Republic of the Congo
The Federal Republic of Germany does not have an embassy in the Republic of the Congo, but is represented by an honorary consulate. The embassy in the “Democratic Republic of the Congo” is responsible:
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kinshasa
82, Avenue Roi-Baudouin
BP 8400
Kinshasa – Gombe
Tel: 00243 – (0) 815 – 561 380
Fax: 00243 – (0) 813 – 464 461
Email: info@kinshasa.diplo.de
www. kinshasa.diplo.de
The German embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is still responsible for:
- Republic of the Congo
Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany
s/c Ico Wood, Avenue Denis Loemba
Pointe-Noire
:
Consul Honoraire de la République fédérale d’Allemagne
PO Box 858
Pointe-Noire, Congo, Republic
Tel: 00242 – 941 314
00242 – 204 700
Fax: 00242 – 941 348
Email: icowood@cg.celtelplus.com
Austrian representations of the Republic of the Congo
The Federal Republic of Austria does not have a diplomatic representation in the Republic of the Congo; the embassy in:
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Austria in Addis Abeda
N. Silk Lafto Kifle Ketema Kebele 04 H.No. 535
Addis Abeba
:
PO Box 1219
Addis Ababa
Tel: 00251 – (0) 11 – 371 3144
00251 – (0) 11 – 371 2445
00251 – (0) 11 – 371 0052
Email: addis-abeba-ob@bmeia.gv. at
www.aussenministerium.at/addisabeba
The Austrian embassy in Ethiopia is still responsible for:
- Djibouti
- Republic of the Congo
Representations of the Republic of the Congo in Austria
The responsible embassy is the embassy in Germany in Berlin ().
consulate
Honorary Consulate General of the Republic of the Congo
Rathausstrasse 15/1
1010 Vienna
Tel: 0043 – (0) 1 – 404 41300
Fax: 0043 – (0) 1 – 404 41400
Email: konsulat @ Republikkongo.at
Swiss representations of the Republic of the Congo
Switzerland does not have an embassy in the Republic of the Congo, but is represented by a consulate general. The embassy is responsible for:
Swiss Embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
654, Blvd Colonel Tshatshi
Commune de Gombe
Kinshasa
Ambassade de Suisse
BP 8724
Kinshasa
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Tel: 00243 – (0) 89 – 894 6800
00243 – (0) 89 – 894 680
Email: kin.vertretung@eda.admin.ch
www.eda.admin.ch/kinshasa
The Swiss embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is still responsible for:
- Gabon
- Republic of the Congo
- Sao Tome and Principe
Consulate General of Switzerland in Pointe-Noire
Avenue Charles de Gaulle
Pointe-Noire
:
Consulat général de Suisse
BP 871
Pointe-Noire
Republic of the Congo
Tel: 00242 – (0) 2 – 943 707
Fax: 00242 – (0) 2 – 944 456
Email: consulsuisse@cg.celtelplus.com
Representations of the Republic of the Congo in Switzerland
Embassy of the Republic of the Congo, Chancellerie
Rue Chabrey 8
1202 Geneva
Tel: 0041 – (0) 22 – 731 8821
Fax: 0041 – (0) 22 – 731 8817
Email: missioncongo@bluewin.ch
Consular section of the embassy
Section consulaire de l’Ambassade
Rue Chabrey 8
1202 Geneva
Tel: 0041 – (0) 22 – 731 8821
Fax: 0041 – (0) 22 – 731 8817
Email: missioncongo@bluewin.ch
