Transports Souprayenmestry 2 Chemin Souprayen, Ravine à Marquet, 97419 La Possession; % 0262 448169; f 0262 449162; e transports-souprayenmestry[at]wanadoo.fr. Offers guided tours in comfortable, AC coaches. They leave early in the morning, picking up passengers from all the main towns along the west coast, from St-Pierre to St-Denis. There are various tours offered each week, such as Salazie, Piton-de-la-Fournaise, Cilaos & the island tour. Ask at the nearest tourist office or contact them directly.
Groupe Transports Mooland ZI Bel-Air, BP24, 97899 St-Louis; % 0262 913939; f 0262 913938; e s.fontaine[at]transports-mooland.fr; groupetransportsmooland.fr. Offers a good range of tours.
Moutoussamy et Fils Rue des Limites, 97412 Bras-Panon; % 0262 729080; f 0262 729081; e moutoussamyetfils[at]wanadoo.fr. Also offers a good range.
Réunion’s roads are overcrowded. Driving through towns such as St-Denis and St-Pierre during peak hours can be exasperating. The coastal road between St-Leu and St-Gilles-les-Bains is prone to very heavy traffic and there are invariably long queues around L’Hermitage. In 2009, a new road was constructed between St-Paul and L’Etang-Salé-les-Bains, designed to bypass the towns of the west coast and alleviate the traffic pressure on the area. It has achieved that to a certain extent, but this area still sees a lot of traffic.
Driving is on the right and road markings are as in France. The roads are well maintained but the standard of driving is frighteningly bad at times. Every year over 100 people are killed on the island’s roads and the situation is not improving. For many young Réunionnais a car is a status symbol and they seem to believe that the faster they drive, the more their image benefits. The speed limit on the dual carriageway that runs along much of the west coast is 110km/h, although you wouldn’t know it. Drink-driving is a real problem and some people even smoke zamal (locally grown marijuana) whilst at the wheel. Stray dogs also cause their fair share of accidents, so keep your eyes peeled. Don’t be put off hiring a car! It is one of the best ways to see the island and gives you valuable independence. Just be vigilant.
Most visitors will hire cars for at least one day whilst on the island. Car hire can be arranged either through your hotel, tour operator or directly. The main car-hire companies have desks at Roland Garros Airport. Cars can be hired on a daily basis plus mileage or for longer periods with unlimited mileage. Air conditioning may cost extra but is a real blessing in the summer.
The requirements vary but the minimum age for car hire is usually 21 years and you must have held a driving licence for two years. You will be asked to pay in advance and provide a deposit. Do check that the insurance cover that comes with the car is fully comprehensive (tous risques). Some car-hire companies may try to tell you that no firm offers fully comprehensive insurance – not true. Make sure you know what ‘excess’ you will have to pay if you cause an accident; some companies keep costs down by scrimping on insurance.
Expect to pay around €0–55 per day (one–three days) for a Peugeot 206 or about €00–110 per day for a 4x4. As noted above, air conditioning may be extra.
Motorbike/moped hire Take extra care on the roads on a motorbike or moped, as drivers are not courteous. Hire is by the day and usually includes unlimited mileage, with reduced rates for seven days or more. You will need to leave a deposit and, as with cars, check that you are happy with the insurance cover provided.
Expect to pay around €35 per day for a 125cc moped (one–seven days) and €65–70 per day for a 600cc motorbike (one–seven days).
If you rent a car you feel you should use it each day – such a pity in a lovely island like Réunion, where the hiking is superb and the bus service excellent. In the two weeks that we were there we travelled by bus, hitchhiking and on foot, and saw everything we wanted to see.
The yellow buses, or cars jaunes, are great. Each bus stop displays the timetable (so it is easy to plan your day), buses arrive on time, their destination is clearly displayed on the front, and the driver will make an unauthorised stop if you are caught out between official bus stops.
The only problem with buses is that they are infrequent on some routes (about every two hours around St-Philippe, for instance) so hitchhiking is a useful alternative. We (two women) found it easy and fun – and very good for our French, even if the Creole accent put a strain on our understanding.
TAXIS Taxi stands are usually situated in town centres, often near the bus station. Taxis are numerous but quite expensive. They don’t tend to hang around looking for passengers in the evening, so you’ll probably need to order one and there is a surcharge after 20.00. Most taxis have meters but it’s not a bad idea to negotiate a fare beforehand, otherwise you may be charged ‘tourist rates’. A cheaper option is a taxi collectif (shared taxi). The driver waits until the car is full before leaving, then each passenger pays a proportion of the fare. The only disadvantage is that you could be waiting a while in quieter areas for the taxi to fill up, and they only run during the day.
BY BUS Travel between towns is provided by the excellent bus service (cars jaunes). Buses are a reliable, easy and cost-effective way to get around the island. Cars jaunes are easily distinguished from the buses which operate within towns because, as the name indicates, they are bright yellow.
Cars jaunes tickets cost €.40, €.80 or €.20, depending on the distance travelled. For example, a ticket from St-Denis to Le Port costs €.40, St-Denis to St-Paul costs €.80, and St-Denis to St-Pierre costs €.20. Local bus etiquette dictates that you should get on at the front and off at the back. Don’t forget to validate your ticket by putting it in the machine as you get on, and keep hold of it as on-the-spot checks are frequent. Stops are mostly on request, so you will need to clap your hands to signal that you want to get off.
Listed below are bus routes with the duration of each journey. On the main routes buses are regular (every one to two hours) and service is from around 05.00 to 18.30. On quieter routes (like the east coast) buses are less frequent and operate from around 07.00 to 17.30. Fewer buses run on Sundays and public holidays. Each bus stop displays a timetable so planning is easy. The French for bus station is gare routière.
If you need more information, current fares, schedule updates or timetables, contact Cars Jaunes (% 0810 123974; cg974.fr)
HITCHHIKING Hitchhiking in Réunion is relatively easy but women should not attempt it alone. It’s an excellent way of meeting the locals, practising your French and learning more about the island. You may end up doing a fair amount of walking but on such a beautiful island this is no hardship.
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