Getting there & Getting around

Getting there

There are flights between Réunion and Mauritius, the Seychelles, Comoros, Mayotte, Madagascar, South Africa and, of course, metropolitan France. For other international destinations, you'll have to get a connecting flight from Mauritius. From France, it's generally more expensive to travel between July and mid-September, and around Christmas time. There's currently no departure tax. Roland Garros Airport is located about 11km (7mi) east of St-Denis. A special airport bus travels frequently between the airport and St-Denis, as do taxis.

Cruise liners generally give Réunion a miss in favour of the Seychelles or Mauritius.

Getting around

Taxis operate in the towns on the normal hire-on-demand basis. It's also possible to hire a taxi and driver for a day tour around the island.

The Réunion bus service 'Car Jaune' (Yellow Bus) covers most parts of the island with several main routes: St-Denis to St-Pierre; St-Denis to St-Bênoit; St-Pierre to St-Bênoit; St-André to Salazie; and St-Pierre to the Cirque de Cilaos. Buses on the main routes are comfortable Mercedes, Renault or Volvo touring coaches.

The road system on the island is generally excellent and well signposted; heading into the mountains via the cirque roads is a magnificent experience. As in the rest of France, vehicles stick to the right. To drive, you must have either a valid French or international driver's licence.

Owing to the traffic, the haste of most motorists, and the steep and precarious nature of the mountain roads, those considering cycling should be prepared for some potentially dangerous situations. The coastal roads are too busy for casual cycling and the cirque roads are too steep, but the back roads and rugged terrain of the interior are ideally suited to mountain bikes. Several places have sprung up to provide information, hire out bikes and organise tours.

Visa information

Visa requirements for Réunion are the same as for France. Citizens of the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the EU and a handful of other countries may enter Réunion for up to three months without a visa. All nationals should check with the French embassy or consulate nearest their home address to find out if they need a visa.

Those who don't need a visa and wish to stay for longer than three months need to apply for a carte de séjour (residence permit). Contact the Service Étrangers (tel: 02 6240 7777; 4 Place de la Préfecture) at the Préfecture in St-Denis. You could always pop across to Mauritius and then re-enter Réunion to get around this requirement.