Wondering how to pay for metro and bus rides in Sierra Leone - cash only, or do cards work too?
I rode some of the new buses in Freetown that had card readers for payment. It’s a big improvement from old systems where you needed exact change. You buy a smart card from the bank or reload online. But outside the city, smaller buses still expect cash payment. It’s smart to carry both when traveling around Sierra Leone.
The shift to cashless bus fare in Sierra Leone’s cities is promising, though incomplete. The new Waka Fine buses accept payment by reloadable cards, but informal minibus transport still works on cash only and can be chaotic. Also, some police checkpoints demand unofficial payments, which complicates travel. Carry cash and digital cards to avoid being caught out.
If you’re traveling in Sierra Leone, it’s best to have a mix of digital and cash payments. The government’s new bus fleet offers a cashless card system via Metro Transport Company, where you buy tickets at banks or reload cards. But many minibuses still require cash fares, especially outside Freetown. ATMs can be unreliable, so keep some US dollars or leones handy just in case.
Starting 2025, Sierra Leone is rolling out a cashless payment system for public buses under the Waka Fine service in Freetown. Most new buses operated by Metro Transport Company Ltd (MTCL) now accept recharged transit cards instead of cash, which means fewer hassles with change. You can buy these cards through local banks and reload them. However, many local minibuses (‘kekehs’) still operate on cash, so carrying some leones is wise when traveling outside main routes.