Tips for Tunis Cruise Stopover

Hi there, Looking for advice on how to get from the cruise stop at La Goulette to Sidi Bou Said on my own. Cruise is planned for November. Thanks in advance for your help! Hester

Hi Hester, We stopped over in La Goulette last year. To get to Sidi Bou Saïd on your own, I don’t see any other option than a taxi. There are hordes of taxis waiting for you when you get off the boat. Inside the port, they’re the official, authorized taxis. Try not to get ripped off… if you know what I mean ;) Outside, you’ll find the unlicensed taxis…

Hi there,

There’s the TGM train, but it’s under construction, so you’re better off taking a taxi... 😉

Hi Kurtinet,

For the train to Tunis, here’s what I found:

Line 1 TGM (1 TND) – 17 min – runs every 15 min – 1.8 km walk to the Transtu Tunisia departure point. We walked to the "station." The train looked in such a state... it completely put me off taking it... and you can only pay in cash, in Tunisian dinars. We didn’t end up taking it.

Thanks for your advice—just 3 quick questions. Can we pay for taxis in euros? Approximate cost? How long does the trip take? Thanks again! Have a great weekend

Thanks!

Thanks for your tips—just 3 questions. Can we pay for taxis in euros? Approximate amount? How long does the trip take? Thanks again!

Hi Hester,

You can pay for taxis in euros—the amount from memory, but no guarantee, I’d say 30 to 40 €... Sidi Bou Saïd is close, less than 10 km away, but they tend to pressure you into making other stops and extending the tour. 😉

Did the taxi wait for you there? If not, that’s a tourist rate—it should be 7 € one way...

Hi Kurtinet,

That should be the price, I agree. He waited for us on the spot because I refused to pay him when we arrived in Sidi Bou Saïd, but he tried to get paid, and we would’ve never seen him again. Let me know how you find a taxi for 7 € when you get off the boat ;) I’m interested 😏

They’re so v...... that the following week, when we stopped there again, we preferred to take a boat transfer to Tunis instead.

If he waited, that’s already better,

No chance I’d step off that kind of boat, but if I ever did, I’d already have the idea to walk away toward La Goulette, then grab a taxi there—negotiating the fare before getting in...

It wasn't just that it was more correct—it was the only way for him to get paid. We did exactly what he suggested: went out and took a taxi from La Goulette. 😏

That's not what I meant. What I'm saying is, if he had charged 30 € for a one-way trip without waiting for you, the price would've been way over the top... but for a round trip with him waiting, 30 € is still reasonable.