Wondering if I need cash for taxis in Rwanda or if I can just pay with card or app like in other countries?
When I visited Rwanda, I quickly saw that taxis only work with cash. None of the drivers I spoke to had a machine, and they all wanted francs. There’s no Uber here, so you can’t use cards through an app either. Hotels can sometimes set up cars that let you pay differently, but that’s not common. For day-to-day travel, francs in cash are the only way. The country is safe and organized, but taxis haven’t gone digital yet.
In Rwanda, cash is the only way to pay taxis. I didn’t see any option for cards, and apps don’t cover taxis here. In Kigali, you can arrange cars through hotels, but those are more like private hires, not taxis. For regular cabs, drivers expect francs in cash every time. I found fares affordable, but it helps to carry smaller bills to avoid awkward change issues. Rwanda’s transport system is still very much cash-driven at the taxi level.
Tried tapping my Visa in a cab-driver burst out laughing. Never felt so “touristy.” Bolt calls? Card’s fine. But any taxi flagged down? Cash. So yeah, app when possible, local bills for everything else. Keeps the trip smooth.
I stayed for a month in Kigali-Bolt rides were seamless on card. Street taxis? Nope, cash only. Moto-taxi guys even laugh when you flash your phone. I keep around RWF 10,000 handy for unplanned rides or rural trips. Apps for planned rides, cash for everything else.
Booked a private taxi via my guesthouse and paid by card-no fuss. But when I flagged a random cab downtown, they asked for cash only. No Uber, but apps work. My trick: use Bolt when I can, carry RWF in smaller notes for unscheduled rides.
I used Bolt app in Kigali twice and paid through the app with my card-worked like a charm. But street taxis? All cash. I hailed one and driver said “no card.” So I keep RWF 5,000 on me for cab rides, but Bolt works well for city hops.