Manama has no metro, no tram, and no useful bus network for visitors. The city was designed around cars and navigation on foot outside the old souq area and Adliya is unpleasant — wide roads, minimal shade, pavements that vanish. For most journeys, taxis or ride-hailing apps are the practical choice. Uber and Careem both operate throughout Bahrain and give consistent, metered prices without the negotiation that taxis sometimes require. Standard fares within central Manama are 2 to 4 dinars.
The inner souq district around Bab al-Bahrain is best explored on foot — the alleyways are too narrow for cars and the scale is compact. Adliya is similarly walkable within the neighbourhood itself, though getting there from the city centre requires a taxi. Muharraq island is easily reached by taxi across the causeway and the Pearling Path is a walking route by design.
Car rental is cheap compared to most countries in the region and is the right choice if you want to see sites outside the city centre — Bahrain Fort, the Al-Khamis Mosque, and the Tree of Life all require transport. The island is small: you can drive from the northern tip to the southern end in under an hour. Petrol is inexpensive. Roads are well-maintained and signage is in Arabic and English.