Transport in Mozambique

Daily travel in Mozambique relies heavily on chapas, which are usually minibus services, machimbombos or buses, and taxis. These services are generally licensed, but the overall system remains fragmented. Public buses may be provided by municipal or public institutions and private providers. Access is usually open, while frequency, crowding, payment methods and night service vary by city and corridor. Veículos mistos carry both passengers and goods and are particularly relevant in rural areas with limited access. In the Maputo metropolitan area, services cover Maputo, Matola, Boane and Marracuene. EMTPM provides public bus services, including some night services, while BMMMSA publishes selected services and fares. Published examples have ranged from 14 to 150 MT, but current fares should be checked locally. The planned MOVE system includes segregated and non-segregated bus corridors, Famba electronic ticketing and feeder services; it is a project and should not be treated as a nationwide active service. CFM manages railway infrastructure and passenger services. The southern network has daily trains on the Goba, Ressano Garcia and Limpopo lines, with services also connecting places such as Marracuene, Matola Gare and Boane. Passenger services in central and northern Mozambique are more dependent on the individual line and may focus strongly on freight. CFM ticket offices, stopping points and timetables can change. A published southern-network fare table listed approximately 10 to 25 MT for nearby zones and up to about 420 MT for longer journeys, but that table was dated 2021, so the current fare should be confirmed before departure. Connections between trains and chapas or city buses are not integrated everywhere. Road travel requires a valid driving licence. INATRO regulates road transport, including licences, vehicle and driver records, inspections, fares and road safety. Licence categories include A1, A, B, C1 and C/E, generally valid for five years, while P, D and G categories generally have two-year validity. A vehicle normally needs registration and a matrícula, a livrete, proof of ownership, periodic inspection and third-party insurance. A commercial provider also needs the relevant vehicle and transport licence. Special permission for an overweight or oversized vehicle requires a journey description, an ANE assessment, insurance and inspection evidence. Mozambique drives on the left. Seat belts apply to vehicle occupants, motorcycles require protective helmets, speed limits apply and driving after drinking alcohol is prohibited. Violations can lead to fines or a temporary driving ban. INATRO's payment portal provides a voluntary 15-day payment period for certain fines; late payment can add 20 percent. Road-police checks and control points are common. Vehicle condition, night travel and the state of the road can substantially increase practical risk, especially on long or remote journeys. Walking is a central form of transport, particularly for the last part of a journey and in peripheral or lower-income areas. Safe sidewalks, crossing facilities and accessibility remain uneven. ANE planning guidance uses a minimum continuous sidewalk width of 1.5 metres and at least 1.2 metres of usable width for accessibility, but this does not prove uniform implementation nationwide. Local road design, crossings and signs determine how pedestrians should move safely. Cycling is used locally as an affordable form of daily and last-mile mobility, but Mozambique has no proven dense nationwide cycling network. MOVE has documented gaps in safe cycling and walking infrastructure. A motorcycle helmet rule should not automatically be applied to bicycles when no general bicycle helmet requirement has been established. Long-distance travel uses interprovincial roads, national and regional buses, chapas and other vehicles connecting provinces, ports and neighbouring countries. Road transport may be classified as regular or occasional and as urban, interurban or interprovincial. Without a special rule, vehicles carrying 15 to 29 passengers may be limited to two adjacent provinces. Government decisions can temporarily change rules for night travel. Road conditions, maintenance, demand, seasonal interruptions and transfers affect journey times, so a national standard travel time cannot be assumed. Air travel connects major centres through international airports in Maputo, Beira and Nacala and regional airports or aerodromes serving places such as Nampula, Pemba, Tete, Vilankulo and FJN. LAM advertises domestic services including daily Maputo–Beira and Maputo–Tete flights, but schedules and prices change. Aeroportos de Moçambique manages airport infrastructure. Coastal, river and lake travel uses ports and local boats, lanchas and canoas. INAMAR regulates access, safety, certification and passenger embarkation for maritime, river and lake transport. These services are highly location-dependent, with no uniform national timetable or fare system. MTL coordinates transport policy. ANE is responsible for classified roads and network maintenance, while municipal authorities manage municipal roads and urban traffic. AMT coordinates transport matters in the Maputo metropolitan area. Transport policy gives growing attention to public transport, rail, walking, cycling, intermodal connections and lower-emission travel. Public transport and rail can reduce emissions compared with intensive private-car use, but reliable nationwide emissions figures and modal-share figures are not established here. Road drainage, climate resilience and year-round access also affect transport planning.