The airport is home to many car rental agencies and is also connected to the public bus network. However, the buses are very slow, their system is a bit confusing for the tourist and they do not carry large luggage.

If you are not renting a car and travelling with luggage, the only option is very expensive taxis.

Car rental

If you want to experience as much of the natural beauty and beaches of Mauritius as possible, hiring a car directly at the airport is definitely the most practical transport option.

Several local and international car rental companies are located in the arrivals hall.

Compare prices - book a car at MRU Airport

Weekly rental rates in high season start at 210 eur.

Car rental counters can be found in the building approximately 50 metres to the left of the terminal.

Be inspired by my experience travelling by car:

• Car rental in Mauritius - traffic regulations and what to watch out for
• What to see in Mauritius

Taxis and mobile apps

To the left of the arrivals hall is the official taxi rank. Unfortunately, there are no taxi meters in Mauritius and prices are set by demand. When travelling from the airport, you will most likely not be able to negotiate a lower price than what the taxi driver will offer you.

This is because all taxi drivers are negotiated and no one will take you cheaper.

View rates for hotels in Mauritius

Payment is always in cash only. You can normally pay in Mauritian rupees, euros and US dollars.

Examples of airport prices:

• Mahebourg - 1 600 mur
• Flic en Flac Beach - 2 900 mur
• Port Louis - 2 700 mur
• Le Morne - 2 700 mur

Traveling in the direction of the airport can be up to half the price!

Yugo mobile app

The well-known apps like Uber, Bolt and Grab don't work in Mauritius, but their local equivalent, Yugo, does.

Yugo is usually a reliable app, however, driver availability can be very poor in some outlying areas and you can wait up to an hour outside of town.

When booking a ride, you can either choose a time "now" or a specific future time up to 10 days in advance.

You can pay by card, but you can also pay with cash. However, the prices are very similar to official taxis.

You can download the Yugo app from the official website: yugo.mu.

Public transport - buses

The buses are mostly old and rickety, but they run relatively frequently. The ride is also authentic as the transport is mostly only used by locals.

The official public transport website on the island can be found at nlta.govmu.org, but it is rather poor in information. A regularly updated website with timetables and routes can be found on the unofficial website: mauritius-buses.com/airport-bus.

You probably won't be able to board the bus with large luggage!

Our tip: check out the chapter Transportation around Mauritius to find out which places on the island are not accessible by public transport at all.

Lines and timetables

The airport is served by three public transport lines.

In the direction of the capital Port Louis you can take the direct line 198 or line 9 to Curepipe, where you can change to the faster tram line.

Caution. Line 198 is operated by several different carriers and only some services (usually only once an hour) stop at the airport. Always check with the driver or conductor.

The 198 bus from Port Louis leaves from the Deschartres Street stop - location on the map.

The first buses leave for the route around 5:30am. The last service from the airport towards Port Louis, Curepipe or Riviere des Galets runs between 6:00 and 6:30pm.

The last bus to Mahebourg leaves after 20:00.

Destinations	Links	Price	Travel time	Cumulative frequency
Mahebourg	9, 10, 198	24 mur	15 minutes	15-45 minutes
Port Louis	198	42 mur	75 minutes	30-60 minutes
Curepipe (transfer to tram)	9	35 mur	56 minutes	15-30 minutes
Souillac	10	37 mur	49 minutes	30-60 minutes
Riviere des Galets	10	40 mur	60 minutes	30-60 minutes

Tickets and fares

Fares are calculated according to zones travelled and are fixed for all lines on the island. Tickets can only be purchased in cash from the conductor directly on the bus.

After boarding the bus, take a seat and wait. The conductor will find and sell the newly boarded passenger a ticket according to the destination you tell him/her.

Prices range from 20 mur to 47 mur.

Where are the bus stops?

The bus stop at the airport is not marked in any way. Exit the arrivals hall on the left, walk through the tourist agency bus parking lot, and follow the sidewalk diagonally up on the right.

The public transport stop is roughly in the middle of the large car park in front of the street diner.