Getting to Kampala and Around by Expressway, Taxi and Boda

Every international flight into Uganda lands at Entebbe International Airport (EBB), perched on a breezy peninsula jutting into Lake Victoria roughly 40 kilometres south-west of central Kampala. Knowing which road your driver takes and how to hop between Kampala's hills will save you hours on the road.

From Entebbe International Airport (EBB) to Kampala

Until a few years ago, the single two-lane Old Entebbe Road could take two to three hours in heavy traffic. Today, the four-lane Entebbe-Kampala Expressway bypasses the roadside towns across papyrus swamps and Lake Victoria causeways, cutting the journey to 45 to 60 minutes:

• Pre-booked hotel car or official airport taxi via the Expressway: the most reliable arrival option at any hour. Confirm with your driver before setting off that they will use the toll Expressway (routing via Kajjansi and Munyonyo for Muyenga, Bugolobi and Kololo, or via the Busega link for western hills and Nakasero).
• Airport shuttles and ride-hailing (Uber / Bolt): ride-hailing apps operate between Entebbe and Kampala, though drivers will ask you to cover the small electronic expressway toll card fee on top of the app fare.

Moving around Kampala: Uber, private drivers and SafeBoda

Kampala's shared white 14-seater minibuses (known locally as taxis or matatus) pack the Old and New Taxi Parks in downtown Nakivubo in a famous geometric puzzle, but routes can be confusing and slow for short-term visitors. Instead, choose according to time of day:

• Ride-hailing cars (Uber and Bolt) or a full-day hired car with driver: ideal for evening dinners in Kololo, rainy afternoons or linking Kasubi Tombs and Mengo with Munyonyo on Lake Victoria.
• SafeBoda motorbike taxis (daytime only): ordinary unregulated boda-bodas weave recklessly through traffic, but the SafeBoda app connects you with vetted riders in bright orange reflective vests who carry a spare passenger helmet and hairnet and charge a fixed app fare.

Onward travel to Jinja and national parks

For excursions east to Jinja (Source of the Nile) or west toward Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi national parks, set out at dawn before commuter traffic builds, or catch scheduled domestic bush flights from Kajjansi Airfield or Entebbe.