Getting Around Mauritius: Car, Bus, Taxi and Tuk-tuk
Mauritius is small. 65km north to south, 45km east to west. But getting around it is less straightforward than the size suggests. There is no rail network beyond one metro line, public buses are functional but slow, and the road infrastructure ranges from excellent dual carriageways to single-track village lanes with no pavement.
Most expats end up buying or leasing a car. Here is every option and what each actually costs.
Driving
Mauritius drives on the left (British convention). Roads are generally in good condition on the main routes. The M1 motorway connects the north (Grand Baie area) to the south via Port Louis and the central plateau. The M2 provides a fast route between Port Louis and the airport. Journey times are short by distance but can be long by clock: rush hour traffic around Port Louis, Ebène, and Quatre Bornes is genuinely bad between 7.30-9.30am and 3.30-6pm on weekdays.
Licence
You can drive on a valid foreign licence for up to 12 months from the date of your entry. After that, you must obtain a Mauritian driving licence. If your home country has a reciprocal agreement with Mauritius (this includes the UK, France, and most EU countries), you can exchange your licence without taking a test. The process involves a medical certificate, your existing licence, a passport photo, and a visit to the National Transport Authority (NTA) office. The fee is around Rs 500 ($11).
If your country is not on the reciprocal list, you need to pass the local driving test (theory and practical). The theory test is in English or French. Book early: test slots can have waiting times of several weeks.
Buying a car
A second-hand car is the most common route for expats. Japanese imports (Toyota, Nissan, Honda) dominate the market and are well-suited to local conditions. A reliable second-hand car (3-7 years old) costs Rs 400,000-800,000 ($8,600-$17,200). New cars carry heavy import duties: a mid-range Toyota Corolla that costs $25,000 in Europe can cost Rs 1.5-2 million ($32,000-$43,000) here.
Annual road tax is based on engine capacity: Rs 4,000-12,000 ($86-$258) for most passenger cars. Insurance (comprehensive) runs Rs 15,000-30,000 ($320-$645) per year. Fitness tests (the equivalent of an MOT or contrôle technique) are required every two years for cars over four years old.
Leasing
Long-term car rental is popular with expats who do not want the commitment of buying. Monthly rates for a standard sedan (Toyota Yaris, Hyundai i10) start around Rs 15,000-25,000 ($320-$540). A mid-range SUV runs Rs 30,000-45,000 ($645-$970). Most rental agencies offer contracts of 6-12 months with insurance, maintenance and roadside assistance included.
Fuel
Petrol is government-controlled and priced uniformly across all stations. As of early 2026, petrol costs around Rs 74 per litre ($1.59). Diesel is Rs 55 per litre ($1.18). An average commuter driving 15,000km per year spends roughly Rs 6,000-8,000 ($129-$172) per month on fuel.
Parking
Free street parking is available in most residential areas. In Port Louis, Ebène, and Grand Baie town centre, paid parking applies: Rs 25-50 per hour. Shopping centres have free parking. The main pain points are Port Louis (very limited during working hours) and Grand Baie during tourist season.
Public buses
The bus network covers most of the island. The National Transport Corporation (NTC) and several private operators run frequent services on the main routes: Port Louis to Curepipe, Port Louis to Grand Baie, Curepipe to Mahébourg, and various cross-routes. Services run from roughly 5.30am to 8.30pm (later on some urban routes).
Fares are cheap: Rs 14-40 ($0.30-$0.86) depending on the distance. Air-conditioned express buses on the busier routes cost Rs 30-50. Payment is cash to the conductor or via the my.t money app.
The catch is time. Buses stop frequently, routes are not always direct, and timetable adherence is loose. A journey that takes 25 minutes by car can take 60-90 minutes by bus. For daily commuting, buses work if you live and work on a direct route. For anything involving transfers or off-peak travel, they test your patience.
Metro Express
The Metro Express is Mauritius’s light rail system, opened in 2019. It runs from Curepipe through Rose Hill, Quatre Bornes, and Ebène to Port Louis, with extensions planned. It is clean, air-conditioned, and fast by local standards: the full line takes about 40 minutes.
Fares are Rs 18-42 ($0.39-$0.90) depending on the number of zones. Tickets can be purchased at stations or via the my.t money app. Services run every 10-15 minutes during peak hours and every 20 minutes off-peak, from about 5am to 8pm.
The Metro Express is genuinely useful if you live and work along its corridor (the central plateau to Port Louis axis). If you are in the north (Grand Baie, Trou aux Biches) or the west coast (Flic en Flac, Tamarin), it does not reach you, though feeder buses connect to some stations.
Taxis
Licensed taxis are widely available, particularly at the airport, hotels, and in town centres. There are no meters. Fares are negotiated before you get in, or you agree a fixed rate with a regular driver. This is the norm, not an inconvenience: most expats who use taxis regularly develop a relationship with one or two drivers who quote fair rates.
Indicative prices:
- Airport to Grand Baie: Rs 1,500-2,000 ($32-$43)
- Airport to Port Louis: Rs 1,000-1,500 ($21-$32)
- Grand Baie to Port Louis: Rs 800-1,200 ($17-$26)
- Short trips within a town: Rs 200-400 ($4-$9)
Government-regulated taxi fares exist on paper but are rarely enforced. The practical approach is to agree the price clearly before departure. Hotel concierge taxis are more expensive than street hails. Private driver arrangements for regular commutes (school runs, office commutes) are common and cost-effective.
Ride-hailing apps
Uber does not operate in Mauritius. The main ride-hailing app is Bolt, which launched in Mauritius and offers pricing that is typically 20-40% cheaper than traditional taxis. Coverage is good in urban areas and the main tourist zones (Grand Baie, Flic en Flac, Port Louis, central plateau). In rural areas, availability drops significantly.
Other options include local apps like TaxiMauritius and QuickCab, though their driver networks are smaller. Payment is usually cash or card through the app.
Tuk-tuks and auto-rickshaws
Electric tuk-tuks have appeared in tourist areas, particularly Grand Baie and Flic en Flac. They operate as short-distance transport for beachgoers and tourists, typically covering a 2-5km radius. Fares are Rs 100-300 ($2-$6) for short hops. They are not a substitute for a car or taxi for anything beyond very local trips, but they are useful for getting to the beach or a nearby restaurant without driving.
Cycling
Cycling is growing in popularity, particularly for recreation, but Mauritius is not cycle-friendly for commuting. There are few dedicated bike lanes, drivers are not accustomed to sharing the road with cyclists, and the terrain is hilly in the central plateau. On the coastal roads (particularly the north coast between Grand Baie and Cap Malheureux, and the southwest between Tamarin and Le Morne), cycling is pleasant outside peak traffic hours.
Electric bikes are increasingly available for rent in tourist areas, typically Rs 500-1,000 ($11-$21) per day.
What most expats actually do
The practical reality: most expats in Mauritius buy or lease a car within the first few months. Public transport works for specific corridors but not for the door-to-door flexibility that daily life requires, especially if you have children at school or work outside the Metro Express corridor.
A typical monthly transport budget for a car-owning expat:
- Car lease or loan repayment: Rs 15,000-30,000
- Fuel: Rs 6,000-8,000
- Insurance (monthly equivalent): Rs 1,500-2,500
- Parking: Rs 500-1,500
- Total: Rs 23,000-42,000 ($495-$900) per month
For a broader picture of monthly costs, see the cost of living guide. For more on daily life in Mauritius, the living in Mauritius guide covers housing, schools and practicalities. If you have a specific question about getting set up, get in touch.
