By Bus
Buses are the main way ordinary Tanzanians travel between cities, and the network is extensive. On busy routes — Dar es Salaam to Arusha, Dar to Mbeya, Arusha to Moshi — there are comfortable "luxury" coaches with assigned seating and air conditioning from companies like Dar Express, Kilimanjaro Express, and ABC Upper Class. Book ahead for these. The journey from Dar es Salaam to Arusha takes around 10–11 hours.
On shorter or less-travelled routes, expect ordinary buses and minibuses (dala dalas). Dala dalas are cheap and ubiquitous within towns, but they're crowded, poorly maintained, and driven fast — use them for short hops, not long journeys.
By Train
Tanzania launched a new Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) connecting Dar es Salaam to Dodoma and beyond. The electric trains are fast, air-conditioned, and comfortable — a genuine improvement on the old network. The older Central Line connecting Dar to Tabora and on to Kigoma (for Lake Tanganyika) and Mwanza (for Lake Victoria) still operates, but is slow and schedules unreliable. Check current SGR routes before planning around rail.
By Air
Internal flights make sense if you're covering long distances, particularly to reach remote southern parks like Selous or Ruaha, or for island-hopping to Zanzibar, Pemba, or Mafia. Coastal Aviation, Auric Air, and Air Tanzania operate domestic routes. Flights save significant time and are worth the extra cost when distances are large.
By Ferry
The Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar ferry, operated by Azam Marine and others, takes about two to two and a half hours and is the most practical way to reach the island. Multiple departures run daily; book ahead in high season. Slower passenger ferries serve Lake Victoria — linking Mwanza with Uganda and Kenya — and Lake Tanganyika from Kigoma, continuing toward Burundi and the DRC.
By Car
Renting a car is expensive and most vehicles come with a driver. Self-drive is technically possible but roads outside the main highways are often rough, poorly marked, and genuinely difficult in the rainy season. Four-wheel drive is essential for any national park. Traffic drives on the left.