🚕 Practical info
Getting around Paramaribo: taxi, bus or hire car
In Paramaribo you get around by taxi (no meters, so you agree the fare first) or by private minibus, and the historic centre is walkable at about a kilometre end to end. Outside the city a hire car or an organised tour beats public transport.
Taxis have no meters. You agree the fare before getting in, and that is normal rather than rude. Ask your hotel roughly what a journey should cost so you know where you stand.
The minibuses are privately run, follow fixed routes and charge a fixed, low fare. They are ordinary and safe enough, but there is no timetable and no stop information, you need to know where you are going and say so.
The historic centre is small enough to walk: Independence Square to the cathedral is about a kilometre. Walking to Blauwgrond is not an option; that is four kilometres.
A hire car makes sense if you want to reach Commewijne or Para independently. For Brownsberg you need a four-wheel drive, certainly in the rainy season.
In short
- Agree the taxi fare before getting in
- Ask your hotel what a journey normally costs
- Carry cash, taxis do not take cards
- For Brownsberg: 4x4, not an ordinary car
Frequently asked questions
How do you get around Paramaribo?
By taxi with the fare agreed in advance, by private minibus, or on foot in the centre. There is no metro or tram, and the minibuses run without a timetable.
Is there Uber or Bolt in Suriname?
Do not count on it. The normal practice in Paramaribo is to call a taxi company or have your hotel arrange one, agreeing the fare beforehand.
Do you need a hire car in Suriname?
Not for Paramaribo itself, you walk the centre and take taxis for the rest. A hire car is useful for independent trips to Commewijne or Para; for Brownsberg you need a four-wheel drive.