The central Baixa and the Polana quarter are walkable by day — flat enough, gridded for the most part, and pleasant under the jacarandas. After dark, take a taxi.
Taxis are everywhere but rarely metered; agree the fare before getting in. A trip across the centre is typically 200–400 meticais. Bolt works in Maputo and removes the haggling. The chapas (shared minibuses) are cheap and constant but require local knowledge — they run on fixed routes shouted by the conductor leaning out the door, and they go where they go.
The new Maputo–Katembe bridge, opened in 2018, finally connects the city to its southern shore by road; before then everyone took the ferry. Driving is on the left, as in South Africa.