This article describes the system of transport in Senegal, both public and private.This system comprises roads (both paved and unpaved), rail transport, water transport, and air transportation.
Senegal's road network links closely with those of the Gambia, since the shortest route between south-western districts on the one hand and west-central and north-western districts on the other is through the Gambia.
Motorways
The only operational motorway in Senegal currently runs for 34 km. between Dakar and Diamniadio, and it is a toll motorway. A new part of the motorway, of 16.5 km. is currently under construction, which will reach the Blaise Diagne International Airport. Another section of 50 km. is also under construction, linking the airport to Thiès; and the 115 km. stretch from Thiès to Touba, the final destination of the planned motorway, will start under construction in the near future.
National roads
The most important roads in Senegal are prefixed "N" and numbered from 1 to 7:
Taxis (black-yellow or blue-yellow in color) are cheap, numerous and available everywhere in Dakar.[1] It is customary to negotiate the fare since most meters installed in the taxis are broken or missing.[1] For travel outside Dakar, public transportation is available but often unreliable and uncomfortable.[1]
Dakar has one of the largest deep-water seaports along the West African coast.[1] Its deep-draft structure and 640-foot-wide (200 m) access channel allows round-the-clock access to the port.[1] Its current infrastructure includes tanker vessel loading and unloading terminals, a container terminal with a storage capacity of 3000 20-foot-equivalent units, a cereals and fishing port, a dedicated phosphate terminal and a privately run ship repair facility.[1] The port's location at the extreme western point of Africa, at the crossroad of the major sea-lanes linking Europe to South America, makes it a natural port of call for shipping companies.[1] Total freight traffic averages 10 million metric tons.[1]