Popular Airport | Entebbe Intl. Airport |
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Popular Airlines | |
Approximate Flight Duration | 6 hour |
Approximate Travel Distance | 4822 Km |
Located along the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan’s capital Baku is a rising star in the East gaining notoriety for its oil, gas, and caviar. Baku is a city that attracts the attention people migrating from Asia and other countries in the region, and businessmen from all around the world. The city’s only airport is the Heydar Aliyev International Airport, named after the National Leader and third President of Azerbaijan. The airport serves 5 million passengers annually.
You can get to the airport, which is located 25 km away, from the city center by car or a combination of the metro and airport buses.
The easiest and cheapest way to get to the airport from the city center is by airport bus. Bus line 116 departs from Vurgun Park, located in central Baku, and takes about 50 minutes to get to the airport.
The metro system in Baku provides transportation to many central locations in the city like the Old City, 28 May Street, and the Caspian Sea. However, to get to the airport from the city center you have to first take the metro and then get on a bus. From central locations in the city like the Old City, Cafer Cabbari, and Khatai you can take the metro to the 28 May and Koroglu stations. From here you can get on bus line 116, which runs to the airport or take a taxi to the airport.
Since the city is rich in oil, fuel is cheap, making traveling by car a very attractive option. Getting to the city center from the airport is very easy. One of the city’s most important avenues, Heydar Aliyev Avenue will connect you to the Boyuk Shor Highway, which goes to the airport. From the highway take the Airport exit. The airport contains indoor and outdoor parking lots where you can park your personal car for a certain fee.
Although it is not very large Heydar Aliyev International Airport is an important junction, especially for passengers traveling between Europe and Asia. The airport offers passengers a variety of eating, drinking, and shopping venues.
The airport has 2 terminals, Terminal 1, which was completely renovated, and Terminal 2, which serves domestic flights. The airport contains world famous fast food chains like Burger King, McDonald’s, and KFC, as well as restaurants that offer delicious flavors unique to Azerbaijani cuisine.
The international terminal has a large Duty Free shop as well as souvenir shops where you can buy items unique to Russian and Azeri culture. The airport features free wireless internet connection.
In Entebbe, there is a heavy traffic in general. Although traffic flow is comfortable late at night and early in the morning, traffic during the day is rather heavy. Besides, the drivers in the city don't follow traffic rules. For this reason, renting a car may sometimes be troublesome for those who are not so familiar with Entebbe traffic. However, it is possible to find the offices of many car rental companies in the city center. Considering the heavy traffic, you can prefer motorbike to the car if you are experienced at riding a motorbike. However, you should bear in mind that the most injury cases in Uganda are caused by motorbike accidents. If you are going to ride a motorcycle, at least you should wear your helmet. If possible, it would be a good idea to wear special protective clothing (such as jackets, knee pads).
Public transportation in Entebbe may sometimes be very challenging. Especially the careless and dangerous driving of the drivers as well as the old and neglected cars may be frightening for tourists. Means of public transport in the city are the minibuses, which are especially preferred at short distances, and the buses. These vehicles, which are extremely low in price, cover even the shortest distances at a longer time than they should due to the extremely crowded and heavy traffic. Motorcycle taxis called Boda Boda are the most preferred means of transportation in Entebbe.
The fact that motorbikes are smaller and have more agility compared to cars come with great advantages in heavy and complicated traffic. However, you should always remember to take the necessary precautions for your safety. Besides Boda Boda, the motorcycle taxis, you can also find normal taxis easily in the city center.
Taxis in Entebbe generally don't have fixed stands and a legal status. So anyone may serve his/her car as a taxi if you ask, or they may sometimes offer to pick you up. Taxi service in the city is not very reliable because there are not any regulations for taxis here. None of the taxis has a taximeter; even when they have, the taximeters are mostly broken. For this reason, it is absolutely necessary to negotiate and agree with the driver in advance about the destination and taxi fare. Generally speaking, you shouldn't hesitate to bargain because the taxi fares are very high, especially if you are a tourist.
If you want to take a taxi, always try to prefer a taxi that your hotel or, if possible, someone you know recommends you take. Entebbe International Airport serves not only Entebbe city but also many other surrounding cities. Transportation from these cities to Entebbe International Airport is mostly provided through Kampala. It is very easy to reach Entebbe International Airport from Kampala by small minibuses. These minibuses depart every 30 minutes or hourly depending on the density. Ticket only costs 3000 UGX, it means 1 dollar. However, the tourists may sometimes be charged twice a ticket price. The journey takes about one hour. If the traffic is not heavy, the journey time is much shorter.
You can also get to the city center from Entebbe International Airport in a very short time. Taxi is the most preferred transportation option from the airport to Entebbe city center, which is very close to the airport. You can also reach the city center by renting a car at the airport. Another alternative is the shuttle-like transfer vehicles run by Uganda Airport Transfers Company.
You can easily find a taxi in front of the airport exit. If possible, try to take a taxi you are recommended or ask your hotel to arrange a taxi for you. As there is no taximeter in the taxis in Entebbe, remember to bargain with the driver about the taxi fare in advance. Don't pay the taxi fare in advance.
You can find the car rental offices of Hertz and Europcar at the airport. You also save time by renting your car online in advance. Please remember that you must have an international driver's license to rent a car. If you want to take advantage of this option, you should bear in mind that Entebbe traffic is generally quite dense and complicated. In addition renting a car, you can also rent a motorbike, which is a very common option in Entebbe.
If you want, you can also rent a car with a driver as well. Unlike the standard airport shuttle services, Uganda Airport Transfers, which is a private company, provides transfer services with various vehicles. Transfer vehicles vary from standard 3-person cars to 25-person buses. Each vehicle takes a luggage per seat. Another different service provided by this company is that it offers "door-to-door" service rather than traveling on a specific route. In addition, you can also benefit from the taxi services provided by this company.
A limited number of hotels offer airport shuttle services since Entebbe International Airport and the city center are very close to each other. However, even if your hotel doesn't provide shuttle service, they can arrange an option to pick you up at the airport upon your request.