What is the best way to get from ZNZ airport to the city?

Best for city hotels and short stays.

Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) Guide: Zanzibar, Tanzania

Abeid Amani Karume International Airport is Zanzibar’s beach-and-spice-island gateway. It is close to Stone Town but also serves resort transfers to Nungwi, Kendwa, Paje, Jambiani, Matemwe, and the east coast. ZNZ has grown far beyond a domestic island airport: it now sees African, Gulf, European leisure, and regional connections, making it possible to pair Zanzibar with safari, Dubai, Doha, Nairobi, Istanbul, or Europe without always passing through Dar.

This guide is written for travelers who want the useful details first: the real airport name, where it sits, how much to budget for transport, what to expect in the terminal, where to search for flights, and which services to arrange before landing. Prices and routes are updated for June 2026 and should be treated as practical planning ranges rather than fixed promises.

Quick airport facts

Item	Details
Full airport name	Abeid Amani Karume International Airport
Short codes	ZNZ / HTZA
Also searched as	Zanzibar International Airport, Zanzibar Airport, Kisauni Airport
City and country	Zanzibar, Tanzania
Practical address	Kisauni, Zanzibar City, Unguja Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania; coordinates -6.222020, 39.224899.
Distance to city	About 5-8 km south of Stone Town, roughly 15-20 minutes by taxi, and 60-90 minutes or more to northern/eastern beach resorts.
Updated	2026-06-15

Best for: Stone Town, Zanzibar beach resorts, spice tours, diving, honeymoon trips, and safari-beach combinations.
Main route logic: Dar/Kilimanjaro domestic links plus Nairobi, Doha, Dubai, Istanbul, Europe, and African regional routes.
Airport style: leisure-heavy international airport with busy transfer counters and seasonal peaks.
Planning rule: pre-book long beach transfers, especially after dark or when landing with children.

Address and location

Use Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) for flight searches and Zanzibar International Airport, Zanzibar Airport, Kisauni Airport as backup search wording in maps, hotel messages, and taxi conversations. The practical address is:

Kisauni, Zanzibar City, Unguja Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania; coordinates -6.222020, 39.224899.

About 5-8 km south of Stone Town, roughly 15-20 minutes by taxi, and 60-90 minutes or more to northern/eastern beach resorts. For a serious itinerary, save the airport coordinates offline, download the city area in Google Maps or Organic Maps, and keep your hotel address in both English and the local language where possible.

How to get from the airport to the city

Option	Typical time	Approximate cost	Best use
Taxi to Stone Town	15-20 min	About US$15-20	✅ Best for city hotels and short stays.
Taxi to Paje/Jambiani/east coast	60-75 min	About US$30-40+	🏖️ Common beach-resort transfer.
Taxi to Nungwi/Kendwa	75-100 min	About US$35-55+	🧳 Best pre-booked due to distance.
Local dala-dala / bus	Variable	Very low local fare	🚌 Cheapest but difficult with luggage and not ideal after long flights.

Zanzibar taxis are commonly fixed-price or negotiated rather than metered. Cash is king; confirm whether USD or Tanzanian shillings are accepted and whether the quote covers all passengers and luggage.

Transport tips

🧾 Confirm the fare before loading luggage, especially when there is no visible meter or posted rate.
📍 Save the exact hotel pin offline; airport drivers may know districts better than street names.
💵 Carry small local cash for the first transfer, baggage carts, snacks, or phone calls.
🌐 Install an eSIM before departure so you can message your driver immediately after landing.

Public transport and metro

Zanzibar has no metro. Use taxi, hotel transfer, rental car with driver, tour operator vehicles, or local dala-dala for experienced budget travelers.

Where public transport exists, it is usually best for daylight arrivals with light luggage. For late flights, family travel, heavy bags, or first-time visits, a taxi, hotel transfer, or pre-booked private driver is usually worth the extra cost.

Taxi prices and transfer strategy

Taxi prices around airports are rarely as neat as an official table. Time of day, luggage, driver availability, fuel prices, and whether the destination is inside or outside the central city all matter. The ranges above are realistic planning budgets, but the best practice is simple: agree the fare before moving, keep your phone map open, and avoid changing money with random drivers.

For smoother arrival logistics:

🚕 Use official taxi ranks or a hotel-arranged driver where available.
🧳 Pre-book a transfer if you land late, carry equipment, or travel with children.
🚗 Compare rental cars before arrival with DiscoverCars if you need regional freedom.
🏨 Use Expedia to check hotels near the airport and in the city before choosing a transfer.

Airport facilities, shops, and restaurants

International arrivals, visa/immigration, baggage, cafes, shops, currency exchange/ATMs, tour desks, and taxi/transfer meeting areas.
Queues can be long around European charter arrivals, so avoid tight ferry or tour timings.
Buy water after customs and keep resort contact details offline.
Long beach transfers are part of the trip; choose a safe vehicle over the cheapest unverified offer.

The smart rule at ZNZ is to treat the terminal as a transfer point rather than as a shopping destination. Eat before arriving when possible, keep a refillable bottle where security rules allow, and bring a small power bank. If you have a long delay, an airport-area hotel or city hotel is usually more comfortable than waiting in the terminal.

Airlines and where the airport flies

FlightsFrom lists Zanzibar with 43 airports and 29 airlines, while FlightConnections lists 30 airlines to 35 airports as of June 2026. Domestic and regional routes include Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Pemba, Nairobi, Mombasa, Doha, Dubai, Istanbul, and European leisure cities.

Air Tanzania, Precision Air, Auric Air, Coastal Aviation/Regional-type operators, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, flydubai, Neos, Edelweiss, KLM/Air France-coded services, and charter/leisure carriers are relevant.

Cheap routes to check first

Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam: often the cheapest island-hop flight; compare with the ferry.
Zanzibar to Kilimanjaro: perfect for beach-after-safari itineraries.
Zanzibar to Nairobi, Doha, or Dubai: useful onward gateways when Dar fares are high.

Cheap airport strategy is different from simply sorting by lowest fare. Always compare the final cost after checked baggage, seat selection, payment fees, transfer costs, and missed-connection risk. A slightly more expensive flight into the correct airport can be cheaper than a low base fare that forces a long taxi ride or overnight hotel.

Where to buy flights and hotels

Start with broad searches, then verify the exact airport code before paying. This is especially important in cities with more than one airport or with airport transitions.

Need	Recommended booking link	Why it matters
Internet on arrival	🌐 Yesim eSIM	Install before flying so maps, airline apps, WhatsApp, and hotel messages work as soon as you land.
Flights and hotels	🏨 Expedia flights and stays	Useful for comparing nearby hotels, airport overnights, and onward tickets in one search.
Tours and transfers	🎟️ Viator tours and airport transfers	Best for guided city tours, day trips, private arrival transfers, and skip-the-line activities.
Rental cars	🚗 DiscoverCars	Compare local and international rental agencies before accepting a walk-up airport rate.
Travel medical insurance	🛡️ SafetyWing	Check coverage, exclusions, and country wording before travel, especially on complex itineraries.
Support this airport-guide project	🤝 Patreon: HEDONISMcloud	Helps keep airport guides updated with fares, route changes, and city transport notes.

eSIM, internet, insurance, and car rental

🌐 Internet: install Yesim eSIM before the flight. Airport Wi-Fi can be slow, blocked by SMS verification, or unavailable exactly when you need maps.
🛡️ Insurance: compare policy wording with SafetyWing. Read exclusions for the destination, adventure activities, medical evacuation, political/security events, and pre-existing conditions.
🚗 Cars: compare vehicles on DiscoverCars before arrival. Airport counters can run out of automatic cars or quote higher walk-up rates.
🎟️ Tours: use Viator for airport transfers, city tours, day trips, and guided experiences when independent transport is inconvenient.

Practical arrival checklist

Before you fly	Why it matters
Check the IATA code on the ticket	Prevents booking a hotel or transfer for the wrong airport.
Save airline, hotel, and driver contacts offline	Messaging apps may not work until data is active.
Carry local cash	Useful for taxis, snacks, and small airport expenses.
Recheck live departures	Regional schedules can change more quickly than major-hub schedules.
Keep insurance documents accessible	Helps at medical facilities and during airline disruption.

Safety and travel notes

Tanzania’s current U.S. Level 3 advisory should be read before travel. In Zanzibar, use trusted transfers, respect local customs outside resorts, avoid isolated beaches at night, and keep medical/evacuation insurance active.

The most reliable traveler is the boringly prepared traveler: documents printed, data working, transport confirmed, hotel address saved, and enough time between every moving part of the itinerary.

Short airport excursion idea

If you have a long layover or an overnight stop, choose one simple plan rather than trying to see everything. Stay close to the city center or a known hotel district, keep the return transfer booked, and avoid cutting the return to the airport too close. In smaller airports, a missed flight may mean waiting a day or more for the next practical departure.

Frequently asked questions

How far is Abeid Amani Karume International Airport from Zanzibar?

About 5-8 km south of Stone Town, roughly 15-20 minutes by taxi, and 60-90 minutes or more to northern/eastern beach resorts.

How much is a taxi from ZNZ airport?

Typical taxi planning ranges are shown in the transport table above. The safest method is to confirm the price before loading luggage and to use a hotel-arranged driver when arriving late or visiting for the first time.

Are there restaurants and shops at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport?

Yes, but the depth of choice depends on the airport size and operating schedule. Expect practical cafes or snack options at smaller airports and a better range at major hubs. Carry backup snacks and water for delays.

Which airlines should I check first?

Is there a metro to the airport?