MU Mauritius: how to get around
Ride apps, airports, driving side and the latest UK travel advice for Mauritius, with a ticket finder to plan your journey.
Travel advice right now
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Quick facts
- Capital
- Port Louis
- Currency
- Mauritian rupee (MUR)
- Languages
- English, French, Mauritian Creole
- Driving side
- They drive on the left
- Phone code
- +230
- Region
- Eastern Africa
Ride apps
We have not been able to confirm a ride-hailing app for Mauritius from the companies' own websites, so we are not guessing. Local taxis and local apps usually exist; ask your hotel or the airport information desk for the trusted option.
Main airports
- MRU Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport · Plaine Magnien
- RRG Sir Charles Gaetan Duval Airport · Port Mathurin
All 2 main passenger airports we hold for Mauritius (OurAirports), A to Z. Use the ticket finder above to search a flight.
Find a ticket
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Airports listed are the main passenger airports we hold for each country. For a smaller airport, use the next option.
Rome2Rio compares trains, buses, ferries, flights and driving for almost any route in the world, then links to the operators.
Getting around Mauritius
- Air Mauritius operates daily flights connecting Plaisance Airport and Rodrigues (flight time - 1 hour 15 minutes).
- Coraline, ☏ +230 208 5900, fax: +230 210 5176, sureka.toolooa@coraline.intnet.mu. Sails once a week to Rodrigues Island and to Réunion island from Port Louis Harbour. Mauritius Pride, launched in 1991, and Mauritius Trochetia, in service since 2001, are the two ships operating on the Réunion route, and also have Madagascar as a destination. Both vessels are used as passenger and container ships. (updated Jan 2024)
The modern Metro Express light rail links Port Louis and Curepipe, stopping at Rose Hill, Quatre Bornes and Vacoas-Phoenix along the way. Trains run every 10 minutes from 6 AM to 7 PM, taking around 40 minutes from end to end (Rs 50).
Several fairly good bus services ply the island. Taking the bus is the most economical way of travelling. As of 2023 one way fare costs MUR 44. Air-conditioned buses have been introduced on some routes.
The major bus companies are:
- National Transport Corporation (NTC), ☏ +230 426 2938.
- United Bus Service (UBS), ☏ +230 212 2026.
- Mauritius Bus Transport (MTB), Long mountain, ☏ +230 245 2539.
- Triolet Bus Service (TBS), ☏ +230 261 6725.
- Others. Other smaller companies have amusing names such as Apollo and Turbo. In late 2014 local buses were available in the parking area of SSR airport. They are cheap and follow more interesting routes than the luxury ones, but are slower.
Buses are manned by a driver and a conductor who walks around collecting fares and issuing tickets after passengers have boarded. Most conductors are helpful in providing directions to tourists. In the local Creole dialect, the conductors are called con-tro-lair (literally controller).
Read the full getting-around guide
Bus routes and schedules are available from the Ministry of Land Transport and Mauritius Buses who list all the main operators and their schedules. Keep in mind that the bus driver may skip some stops or change itinerary if the number of customers is too low.
Try to pay with exact change. Intentional over-charging of tourists is not common.
Taxis are the best way to tour the island. Various tours are available as from Rs2,500: The holy lake, Chamarel 7 coloured earth, Le Morne, dolphin tours in Tamarin and Ile aux cerfs are among the most appreciated by visitors.
Taxis in Mauritius do not use meters. Negotiate the price of your trip before you enter a taxi; otherwise, you may be overcharged.
One major highway runs north to south, otherwise a good network of paved, if sometimes narrow, roads covers the island. Traffic drives on the left and priority is for vehicles coming from the right.
Numerous car hire firms include major international and local car rental agencies. There are various cars and vehicles for every budget. Some of the most popular rental cars categories are, compact (small Japanese cars), SUV, Sedan, 4x4 and luxury models.
Car rental prices in Mauritius average around €25/day. Some unlicensed car owners can offer lower prices, but you should be wary because this is not safe and often comes with numerous additional costs. To be on the safe side, with full insurance, visitors should rent cars from companies holding a tourism enterprise license. These cars are identifiable by their yellow number plates, while private cars have black plates. If you hire a car at the airport keep in mind that you will need to pay a MUR 30 charge when you are leaving the car park, and this has to be paid in cash.
Regulations: drivers are required to be over 18 years old. Most car rental companies in Mauritius require 2 years of driving experience or drivers above 21 years. Speed limits are 110 km/h (68 mph) on the motorway and 50 km/h (31 mph) in built-up areas. Seat belts are compulsory. Foreign licences are accepted but should be readable in English or French. If your driving license is in another language, a certified translation (like an International Driving Permit) may be required to rent and drive on the island.
Approximate travel times from Port Louis to other major cities, towns, and resorts in Mauritius:
- Curepipe 30 min
- Grand Baie, North 25 min
- Mahebourg, Southeast 55 min
- Flic-en-Flac, West 30 min
Getting-around text from Wikivoyage: Mauritius, by Wikivoyage contributors (authors), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Shortened for display; prices and details may be out of date.
Frequently asked questions about getting around Mauritius
Which side of the road do they drive on in Mauritius?
In Mauritius, vehicles drive on the left side of the road.
What is the currency in Mauritius?
The currency is the Mauritian rupee (MUR).
Which ride-hailing apps work in Mauritius?
We have not been able to confirm a ride-hailing app for Mauritius from the companies' own websites, so we do not list one.
What are the main airports in Mauritius?
Main airports with scheduled passenger flights include Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport (MRU), Sir Charles Gaetan Duval Airport (RRG).
What is the phone code for Mauritius?
The international dialling code for Mauritius is +230.
Is it safe to travel to Mauritius?
We do not rate safety ourselves. The UK government's travel advice for Mauritius is shown at the top of this page with its current warning level and the date it was last updated. Read the full advice before you book, because other governments may advise differently.
Sources: ride-app company websites, UK FCDO travel advice (Open Government Licence v3.0), OurAirports, Wikidata, Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data last built 13 October 2026. Found a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it.