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How do you get around Tunisia? In June 2024 my partner and I spent about 10 days there, and we did the whole thing by rental car: from Tunis down to the Star Wars villages and the desert around Tozeur, and back up through Kairouan. I even worked remotely for part of it. We didn’t use public transport once.
Short answer: if you want the south, the desert and the Star Wars sets, rent a car. If you’re sticking to Tunis and the coast, trains, louages and the TGM will get you around cheaply. Here’s how both work, our exact route, and what it all cost.
Our 10-day Tunisia road trip route
| Stop | What we did |
|---|---|
| Tunis | picked up the car at the airport |
| Sidi Bou Said & Carthage | the blue-and-white village and the ruins |
| Sousse (our base) | day trips to Monastir and El Jem |
| Tataouine | the Star Wars region of the south |
| Guermessa | stayed in the hilltop village near the Star Wars sets |
| Tozeur | a nice hotel, two days of remote work, and the desert |
| Kairouan | the Great Mosque of Kairouan |
| Tunis | dropped off the car |
Renting a car in Tunisia
We picked up our car at Tunis-Carthage airport, and it cost us around €250–400 ($280–450) for the 10 days.
What to know before you book:
- You’ll need a credit card in the driver’s name for the deposit.
- Get full insurance. Roads are mostly fine, but villages have potholes and there are unmarked speed bumps everywhere.
- International Driving Permit: required if your licence isn’t in the Latin alphabet, and recommended for anyone from outside Western Europe. Some insurers ask for one anyway.
- Cars are usually rented full-to-full, and automatics cost more.
- A normal car is fine for our route. Ours was a normal car, and you only need a 4x4 for unsurfaced desert tracks.
You can compare rental companies at Tunis airport on Discover Cars.
What driving in Tunisia is really like
- Tunis traffic is chaotic. If you can, pick up the car on your way out of the city rather than driving in the centre.
- The highways and desert roads are easy. Once you’re out of Tunis, driving gets much more relaxed.
- Fuel is cheap, at around 2.5 dinar a litre (about €0.75), a fraction of European prices.
- The heat and the long empty stretches are real. In June the south is very hot, and there can be a long way between towns. Fill up whenever you can, carry plenty of water, and don’t let the tank run low.
- Tolls are cash only. The motorways have toll booths (“péage”), priced by distance and cheap (around 3.6 dinar, about €1, for 131 km), so keep small notes and coins handy.
- Police checkpoints are common at the entrance and exit of towns. Slow down, smile, and keep your passport and rental papers in the car.
- Speed limits: 50 km/h in towns, 90 km/h on rural roads, 110 km/h on motorways. Signs aren’t always there, so stick to these defaults.
- Drive on the right.
The Star Wars sets and Tozeur by car
This is the reason to rent a car in Tunisia. We drove ourselves all the way south to Tataouine and stayed in Guermessa (غرماسة), a Berber hilltop village in the Tataouine region. Nearby, Ksar Hadada was used as the Mos Espa slave quarters in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.
We visited the Star Wars sets around Tataouine, the old fortified granaries (ksour) that look straight out of Tatooine. You need a car to string them together, as they’re spread out across the hills.
From there we drove west to Tozeur, on the edge of the desert. We stayed in a nice hotel with good Wi-Fi, and I worked remotely from there for two days. Outside working hours, we drove out to see the abandoned boats and the other film sets and exhibits out in the desert.
That’s the leave-hacking side of this trip: with a car and good hotel Wi-Fi, two of those desert days didn’t cost me any annual leave at all. If you plan to work from Tozeur, ask your hotel about the Wi-Fi before you book.
Getting around Tunisia without a car
We didn’t use public transport, but if you’d rather not drive, these are your options:
- TGM light rail (Tunis): the easiest way from central Tunis to La Goulette, Carthage and Sidi Bou Said. It’s frequent and cheap, about 0.8–1.25 dinar (€0.25–0.40) a ride.
- Trains (SNCFT): the main line runs down the coast from Tunis via Sousse and Sfax to Gabès. Tunis to Sousse takes about 2 hours 20 minutes for around 7–10 dinar (€2–3). For Monastir, change in Sousse to the local electric train, which runs about every half hour. Trains are cheap but often delayed, and only one line goes to Tozeur.
- Louages: shared minibuses that leave when all the seats are full. They’re about the same price as the bus but cramped. From Sousse to Kairouan, they leave every 5 to 10 minutes once they fill up (they take 10 people).
- SNTRI buses: air-conditioned long-distance buses from Tunis, and the most reliable public option.
- Domestic flights: Tunis to Tozeur and Djerba, but flights are infrequent and often delayed.
Car vs public transport in Tunisia
| Rental car | Trains, louages and buses | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | the south, the desert, Star Wars sets, travelling at your own pace | Tunis, Carthage, Sidi Bou Said and the coast |
| Cost | around €25–40 a day plus fuel and tolls | a few euros per journey |
| Flexibility | stop wherever you like | fixed routes; louages leave when full |
| Stress | Tunis traffic, checkpoints, heat | delays, cramped seats, some waiting |
What our Tunisia transport cost
Prices at about €1 = 3.36 dinar and €1 = $1.12 (October 2026).
| What | Dinar | € | $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rental car, 10 days | €250–400 | $280–450 | |
| Fuel | cheap; I didn’t keep track | ||
| Tolls | a few dinar per motorway stretch | about €1 per 130 km |
Split between two people, the car cost us about €12–20 ($14–22) each per day, and it got us to places buses barely reach.
Is driving in Tunisia safe for women?
I travelled with my partner, so this is general advice rather than a solo story. Driving felt safe for us. If you’re driving alone as a woman, avoid driving after dark outside the cities (roads aren’t lit and speed bumps are hard to see), plan your fuel stops in the south, keep your phone charged with offline maps and an eSIM, and keep your documents handy for checkpoints. Dress modestly, especially away from the coast.
Tunisia transportation FAQ
What’s the best way to get around Tunisia? A rental car if you want the south and the desert. Trains, louages and the TGM if you’re staying on the coast.
Is it easy to drive in Tunisia? Outside Tunis, yes: the highways and desert roads are easy. Tunis itself is chaotic.
How much is a rental car in Tunisia? We paid around €250–400 for 10 days, picked up at Tunis airport.
How do I get from Tunis to Sidi Bou Said? Take the TGM light rail from central Tunis. It’s cheap and frequent.
Do you need a 4x4 for the south of Tunisia? Not for the main roads to Tataouine, Guermessa and Tozeur. We did it in a normal car. You only need a 4x4 for desert tracks.
Are there tolls in Tunisia? Yes, on the motorways. They’re cheap and cash only.
More Mediterranean road trips: my tips for driving in Sicily.
