traffic/travel time to/from DAR
Oct 9, 2014, 5:01 am
#1
Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: UK - the nearest airport is named after a motorway !
Posts: 4,242
traffic/travel time to/from DAR
[was posted at the end of 'killing time at DAR' thread, but would like some responses so bumping into separate thread]
Going to DAR next week, first time, short stay.
Landing at 1820 from NBO, no bags, visa on arrival... any estimate of how long it will take to get to the Hyatt (ex-Kempinski)?
On departure, I'm on a 1910 flight to NBO, no bags, will have checked-in online, aiming to be at airport at 18h, what time to leave the hotel? [or do I need more than 70 minutes at DAR?]
Are taxis easy to get from the airport? And is there an ATM at the airport for TZS?
Thanks
Going to DAR next week, first time, short stay.
Landing at 1820 from NBO, no bags, visa on arrival... any estimate of how long it will take to get to the Hyatt (ex-Kempinski)?
On departure, I'm on a 1910 flight to NBO, no bags, will have checked-in online, aiming to be at airport at 18h, what time to leave the hotel? [or do I need more than 70 minutes at DAR?]
Are taxis easy to get from the airport? And is there an ATM at the airport for TZS?
Thanks
Oct 10, 2014, 1:49 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
For VoA, based on my experiences and others I've read about here, you will have to wait til all the other passengers who don't need VoA to be processed before you can be taken care of. So depending on how busy it is, you could be waiting quite a while. My last time we arrived late at night so I only had to wait for the rest of the 737 I was on to be processed before they could take care of me and a couple other muzungus. It didn't matter that I was in business class. If I remember correctly they had chairs to wait in which was nice.
If you know East Africa well then you should be fine with a taxi of which there are plenty at the airport. Otherwise maybe it would be best to plan ahead as noted above. Traffic wise, you didn't say what day of the week? Fridays are horrible. Weekends are better in general. But you should ring down to the hotel concierge to be sure.
If you know East Africa well then you should be fine with a taxi of which there are plenty at the airport. Otherwise maybe it would be best to plan ahead as noted above. Traffic wise, you didn't say what day of the week? Fridays are horrible. Weekends are better in general. But you should ring down to the hotel concierge to be sure.
Oct 10, 2014, 5:14 am
#4
Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: UK - the nearest airport is named after a motorway !
Posts: 4,242
For VoA, based on my experiences and others I've read about here, you will have to wait til all the other passengers who don't need VoA to be processed before you can be taken care of. So depending on how busy it is, you could be waiting quite a while. My last time we arrived late at night so I only had to wait for the rest of the 737 I was on to be processed before they could take care of me and a couple other muzungus. It didn't matter that I was in business class. If I remember correctly they had chairs to wait in which was nice.
If you know East Africa well then you should be fine with a taxi of which there are plenty at the airport. Otherwise maybe it would be best to plan ahead as noted above. Traffic wise, you didn't say what day of the week? Fridays are horrible. Weekends are better in general. But you should ring down to the hotel concierge to be sure.
If you know East Africa well then you should be fine with a taxi of which there are plenty at the airport. Otherwise maybe it would be best to plan ahead as noted above. Traffic wise, you didn't say what day of the week? Fridays are horrible. Weekends are better in general. But you should ring down to the hotel concierge to be sure.
It's an E190 from NBO, so even if it's full there shouldn't be too many to wait for to clear immigration.
And while I'm fine with a taxi, my travelling companion is less confident, so I've booked a hotel car. Heading back to the airport on Thursday - will take advice from the hotel.
EDIT post trip
They must have changed the immigration procedure - now a VISA desk on the right, give them passport and $50 and wait for name to be called, get passport back with 'visa' written in in biro, join regular immigration queue. We were through in <30 minutes from landing, but then took more than an hour to the hotel.
On the way back, the front desk said 'around 25 minutes to the airport', which we ignored. Gave ourselves 90, took 85.
Last edited by Stewie Mac; Nov 7, 2014 at 6:34 am Reason: post trip update