Transportation in Antananarivo

Antananarivo moves on three levels: the ubiquitous beige-and-blue taxi-be minivans that cost a fraction of private taxis but require some French to navigate, the metered taxis you'll find downtown (moderate, always negotiate before entering), and the splurge of hotel-arranged cars for First-timers should download the local ride-hailing apps before arrival. They display routes in French and Malagasy and spare you the street-haggle. The city center is walkable once you're in, but the hills are steeper than they appear on maps. From Ivato Airport, the official taxi rank outside arrivals is your safest bet, ignore the freelance drivers inside the terminal. The journey to downtown takes 45-90 minutes depending on traffic, and drivers typically quote a fixed moderate rate rather than using the meter. There's no rail link, and while some hotels offer shuttles, these must be arranged in advance. If you're arriving late, pre-book through your accommodation. Street taxis after dark often refuse the trip or inflate prices significantly.