Transport in Samoa

Buses called Pasi are a principal everyday transport mode on Upolu and Savai'i. Passengers usually hail a bus, check its destination sign, pull the cord to request a stop and pay cash when leaving. Apia uses terminals such as Savalalo and Fugalei, while Savai'i services use points around Salelologa Market and Wharf. Taxi stands provide another public option, with fares based on the journey. Public transport is open to the general public and normally does not require advance booking, but punctuality can vary. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) oversees vehicle registration, driver licensing, road-use permits, public-service vehicle oversight and road safety. The Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure sets national policy and regulates land, maritime and civil aviation matters. Samoa Police enforce traffic rules and investigate accidents. Private vehicles require annual registration and inspection, including a Warrant of Fitness. Commercial buses and taxis also need a business licence, a commercial driver licence and a current Certificate of Fitness. Inspections take place at LTA facilities in Vaitele or Salelologa on working days, generally from 09:00 to 15:00. A failed inspection requires repair and reinspection. Late vehicle inspection costs $105; ownership transfer costs $126 for a private vehicle and $200 for a commercial bus or taxi. The LTA fare schedule effective 31 July 2026 lists Upolu bus fares from about $1.30 in town to about $13.20 on the longest published journeys, and Savai'i fares from about $0.70 to $15.80. Special hire is listed at $167.70 per hour on Upolu and $192.40 per hour on Savai'i. Taxi fares start at about $3.20 or $4.20 for local journeys and rise with distance. Cabinet approved a 30% bus and taxi adjustment on 30 July 2026, so current fares should be checked with the LTA before relying on them. The Mulifanua ferry on Upolu connects with Salelologa on Savai'i every day. The crossing usually takes about 60 to 90 minutes. Samoa Shipping Corporation provides the service, while the Samoa Ports Authority manages port safety, security and facilities. A walk-on adult ticket costs $10 one way or $20 return; children aged 2 to 12 pay $5 one way or $10 return, and infants aged 0 to 1 travel free. Vehicle fares range from $80 to $100 one way depending on category, with return fares generally double. A bicycle costs $10 and a motorbike or scooter $30. Vehicle space should be booked because availability can be limited. Monthly sailing plans can change because of weather or maintenance. Boats to Manono are arranged locally from Manono-uta and do not follow a fixed timetable. Faleolo International Airport is Samoa's main international gateway and lies about 40 kilometres west of Apia. Maota near Salelologa and Asau provide domestic airport access on Savai'i. Fagalii is listed for American Samoa, emergency and specialist operations. Flight availability changes, and airports can be reached by taxi, bus, rental vehicle or private vehicle. Samoa has no current passenger railway, tram operator, rail line or rail fare system. Buses, taxis, private vehicles, ferries and aircraft provide the functional alternatives. People walk and cycle on public roads, footpaths, pedestrian crossings and some shared or cycle paths, but Samoa has no evidenced nationwide cycling network or municipal active-mobility system. The 2025 Sustainable Land Use and Mobility Plan targets better bus and active-mode infrastructure, with practical relevance highest in Apia and other towns. Samoa drives on the left. Posted signs and directions from Police officers take priority. The National Road Code gives indicative limits of 24 km/h at curves, intersections, bridges, school or church crossings and similar hazards, 40 km/h within the 3-kilometre Apia town reference area and 56 km/h outside it. Drivers give way at pedestrian crossings and apply the clockwise roundabout rule, giving way to traffic from the right. Parking on a footpath, crossing, driveway or near a junction is prohibited. Using a mobile phone while moving can incur a $200 fine; failing to use an adult seatbelt can incur a $100 fine. Children under 12 need a seatbelt or child seat, or should travel in the rear when a belt is unsuitable. Motorcycle riders and their one pillion passenger must wear helmets. Driving while incapable through alcohol or drugs can lead to up to two years in prison, a $1,000 fine and loss of the licence. Dangerous driving can also lead to up to two years in prison or a $1,000 fine. A crash causing injury or death must be reported to Samoa Police as soon as possible and within 24 hours unless the driver is incapacitated. A learner permit is available from age 16 and lasts three months at a time. A private or light-goods licence generally requires the applicant to be at least 17, pass a theory test with at least 45 of 50 marks and pass a practical test. Taxi and heavy-vehicle applicants must generally be at least 21, while bus applicants must generally be at least 25. A private licence lasts five years. An overseas full-licence holder can obtain a temporary driving licence for up to two months at $21 per month; converting a foreign licence costs $284. An international licence can be used for up to 90 days per year after LTA endorsement. Drivers must carry their licence and follow Police and LTA directions. Transport depends heavily on fossil fuels and was Samoa's largest carbon dioxide source in the 2020 inventory context. Flooding, storm surge, sea-level rise, landslides and coastal damage can interrupt roads, bridges, ports and airports. National plans target lower transport emissions through electric and hybrid buses and taxis, charging infrastructure, shared mobility, walking and cycling improvements, and maritime electrification. The stated targets include a 13% to 18% transport greenhouse-gas reduction by 2030 compared with 2022, a 25 Gg reduction under the Sustainable Land Use and Mobility Plan and a 2.68 Gg CO2e transport reduction by 2035 compared with 2020. Samoa's NDC 3.0 also targets 15% electric and 25% hybrid rental and personal vehicles by 2035.