Transport and Driving in Angola
Transport on arrival
Before you get there, it's recommended that you arrange with your hotel or sponsor for airport transfers, well in advance. The short term option of car hire is not advisable unless it is accompanied by the additional hire of an experienced and reputable driver.Driving without an experienced driver in Angola upon initial arrival is considered irresponsible, as there are still many heavily land mined areas, in and around city centres and foreigners will not know which areas are safe to venture into. Also, there is the added challenge of the language barrier, as the country is predominantly Portuguese speaking, and this could pose overwhelming difficulties in all sorts of scenarios.
Most, if not all roads, in Angola cannot be negotiated without the use of a 4x4, and external factors, like wandering livestock and heavily overloaded vehicles, means expecting the unexpected is the best course of action. Road conditions in general are appalling and expats who have experienced driving in Luanda have likened their encounters to those of an adrenalin sport.
Public Transport in Angola
Public transport, in short, is comprised of an assemblage of battered little blue and white taxis or buses that clatter about the city at perilous speeds, endangering the blood pressure of each passenger as they careen in and out of the gridlocks of city centre traffic. Travellers and expats are strongly encouraged not to make use of them, as they are deemed to be a largely unsafe form of transportation. There is also a railway service; however, it is not for public transport purposes.
Driving in Angola
Most companies provide a car and driver and cover the costs of associated gas and maintenance bills. Alternatively, they may have a pool of cars and drivers available. Most do not allow the non-employee (usually mom) to drive a company car, and many do not even allow the employee to drive it. That said, each company has a different transportation policy and it's important to enquire before making any major purchases.
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Very few people buy a personal car due to expense - at least double US prices - and the hassle that comes with getting gas and receiving maintenance. Gas is dirt cheap, but lines are long to get fuel because there are a limited number of gas stations. If you have a personal car, maintenance is expensive and a huge headache.
Parts often must be imported from Dubai or Portugal, and it's not unheard of for families to speed up the process by bringing the piece themselves from abroad.
There is also a private oil company jet that flies every other day direct from Luanda to Houston, and people bring in sets of tires and wheels, a door or hood or fender, etc. as the private jet does not have traditional luggage and size limits.
That said, some expats who have signed on for a long-term stay and who don't have contractual restrictions do opt to purchase a vehicle. Many of the large vehicle companies are based in Luanda, and although the purchase of a new vehicle may be expensive, it could be much easier than importing a car.
A large majority of expats are now living in Luanda Sul, South of Luanda, and it is much easier to get around in your own vehicle there, as there isn’t the traffic and congestion present in the Luanda city centre.
Purchasing a vehicle in Angola
Local companies and foreign embassies would be a good place to look for the purchase of second hand vehicles, as they could have employees leaving the country that may want to sell their vehicles. It is wise to find a reputable mechanic to check out a vehicle before a purchase is made, and to purchase a brand of vehicle with parts that are readily available.
Even some of the big car companies do not have any parts available or facilities for vehicle services. Not to mention, they often consider their responsibility to you to end once the sale of the vehicle is completed.
Road safety in Angola
The excess of vehicles in Luanda city centre takes congestion to outrageous extremes, a level unlikely to be matched anywhere else in the world. The rules of the road are that there are few to start off with, assisted by the incredible lack of traffic lights, most of which don't work anyway.In rainy season, the roads should be navigated with extreme caution, as there are many potholes than can leave vehicles badly damaged if drivers are not careful. Local drivers proceed in an aggressive and chaotic manner, and almost appear to make up driving law at will. The combination of this scenario with only a few tarred roads and almost never any lane demarcation is just another incentive to hire an experienced driver.
