Transport Costs in Accra 2026: Real Prices for Uber, Taxis, and Private Hire

One of the most common questions before a Ghana trip is how much to budget for getting around. The honest answer is: it depends on what you use, and the gap between the advertised price and what you actually pay can be significant.

Here is a straight breakdown.

Trotro (shared minibus)

Trotros are the main way most Accra residents get around. They are shared minibuses that run fixed routes across the city.

Cost: GHS 3 to 10 per trip (under $1 at current exchange rates)

What to expect: Crowded, slow in traffic, no air conditioning, no fixed schedule, and you need to know the routes and mate system to use them effectively. Not practical for most first-time visitors, but extremely cheap.

Taxis

Taxis in Accra are not metered. Every ride is a negotiation.

Cost: GHS 50 to 150 for most trips within Accra (roughly $3 to $10)

What to expect: Prices are unpredictable. As a visitor, particularly a diaspora traveler who looks like they may not know local rates, you will often be quoted higher. The cars range from perfectly fine to genuinely run-down. There is no accountability if something goes wrong.

Uber and Bolt

Both apps operate in Accra. Prices are set by the app, in local currency.

Cost: GHS 80 to 250 per trip depending on distance and surge (roughly $5 to $17)

What to expect: More consistent than taxis for pricing. Cancellations are common, particularly during peak hours. Surge pricing hits during rain, airport arrivals, and evenings. For a full day of 5 to 6 trips, you can easily spend $50 to $90 with no guarantee of reliability.

Pre-booked private driver

You book a vehicle and driver in advance at a flat rate covering a set period.

Cost:

• Airport transfer: from $50 flat
• Half day (up to 5 hours, 50km): $60
• Full day (up to 10 hours, 100km): $120

What to expect: Fixed price agreed before you book. Driver is at your location at the confirmed time. No negotiation, no surge pricing, no cancellations. The vehicle is a brand new 2025 BYD SUV with air conditioning, WiFi, and bottled water.

What a week of transport actually costs

If you are in Accra for 7 days using Uber for most trips:

• Average 4 trips per day at $8 to $15 each
• Total: $224 to $420 for the week
• Plus surge pricing on airport arrival and departure
• Plus the trips that get cancelled and re-requested

If you book a private driver for 5 of those days and use Uber for 2 shorter days:

• 5 full days at $120: $600
• 2 lighter days on Uber at $25: $50
• Total: $650, with complete reliability for the days that matter

The numbers get closer than most people expect, and the experience is not comparable.

The hidden cost nobody mentions

Time. Waiting for an Uber that cancels, re-requesting, waiting again. Negotiating with a taxi driver when you do not know the going rate. This is not just annoying. In Accra traffic, a 20-minute delay compounds into a wasted hour.

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