Reunion Island Transportation-Driving

Even if the island is pretty small (2.500 square Km), due to its relief, you will need to find a way to go from point A to point B.

Reunion Island Transportation-Driving:Car

The car is the best option if you can afford it. Driving is on the right side. Four-wheels drive are not a necessity even if you want to go inland.

Talking about inland, if you drive in the height, be prepared : roads are often narrow, windy with deep roadsides. To top it all off, during the rainy season, landslides and closed roads can be a pain.

Last but not least : traffic jam! If you don’t want to get stuck on the road, try to avoid access roads to big cities such as Saint Denis or Saint Pierre early morning (7 to 9am) and late afternoon (4 to 6.30pm) when people commute to/from work.

Renting a car can be difficult especially during France holidays and Reunion summer so if you want to rent one you should do it early. Major companies are not always the cheapest… compare rates before making a choice and check what the services and conditions are before signing the contract.

Lastly, you need to be at least 21, hold either a European driver’s license or an international driver’s license with your national driver’s license with photograph for more than a year.

By Bus

The island has a good bus network. The main company is called “Car jaune” and goes either through the coastline, the “Route des Tamarins” (in the height) or the “Route des plaines”(road going inland from Saint Pierre to Saint Benoit). To reach the heights and more remote places, you will take another company depending on the area (Kar’ouest, Alterneo etc.).

Please note that busses in La Reunion stop their service quite early (around 7pm for “Car jaune” and even earlier for most of the other companies).

Reunion Island Transportation-Driving: Taxi

Taxis are really expensive in La Reunion. If you can’t avoid to take one, you will need to book it in advance as they don’t roam in the streets looking for clients like they do in other countries.

A quick example, a taxi from the airport to the city center of Saint Denis (approx. 8km) will cost you around 20€.