Wondering how to pay for metro and bus rides in Zambia - cash only, or do cards work too?
Rode a big coach from Ndola to Chipata in early June - paid with $10 USD at the terminal, collected ticket, and paid ZMW to the conductor on board. No card acceptance. Locals laugh when you ask about card - just use cash or USD conversion at booking point. Easy when you're prepared.
Since March I’ve used the new LuBus shuttle service in Lusaka - it has contactless QR booking, but you'll show the printed QR code from your phone, not tap a card. The actual ride is scanned manually, no card swipe. Local buses and minibuses? All ZMW coins and bills. Great for budgeting but don’t expect any plastic use here.
Rode kombis around Livingstone last month - driver clicked a tin and shook a hand for change. Absolutely no cards or apps. On intercity bus routes I booked via broker online, I paid in USD cash at departure. Public transport in Zambia is cash-first and small change is non-negotiable.
Took the ZUPCO buses in Lusaka in June - strictly cash, they don’t take any card. I had to carry exact ZMW 5-10 notes or I wouldn’t get change. No QR codes, no tap, nothing. Cash is a must for those local bus rides.