Tunisia is a beautiful country with an interesting history. It’s a popular place to visit, and many of the attractions in the country are historical in nature. Some of the places you may want to visit include El Jem Amphitheatre, the Bardo Museum, the Crocodile Farm in Midoun, and the Guellala Museum.
Renting a vehicle in Tunisia
Getting to all of the places you want to see is much easier when you have a vehicle. You may want to consider renting. In order to rent a vehicle and drive in Tunisia, you will need to have a full driving license from your home country. They also recommend that you have an international driver’s license. To rent a vehicle in the country, you need to be at least 21 years old.
However, the age could vary based on the type of car you choose. In addition, drivers who are under the age of 25 will often have a young driver fee included. Make sure you get the emergency phone number of the rental agency, and that you have insurance coverage.
Road conditions and safety
The road conditions in Tunisia can vary greatly. When you are in the larger cities, you will find that the roads are generally in good shape with few potholes, and they have readable markings and signs. As you head out of the cities, the quality of the roads diminishes in some areas, so you will want to drive more cautiously.
You will drive on the right side of the road, and you pass on the left. You are required to wear seatbelts, and are prohibited from driving while on the phone, unless you have a hands-free set.
The road signs are typically in both Arabic and in English in the cities, so it should be easy to find where you are going. Once you get outside of the cities though, you will find that many of the signs are only in Arabic, which can make navigating more difficult.
The local drivers in Tunisia aren’t bad, but they do not always follow the laws. Many of them speed frequently, and they do not always use their turn signals. Therefore, you should always drive defensively and expect the unexpected.
The speed limits
When driving in Tunisia, be sure to pay attention to the signs indicating the speed limits and abide by them. The following are the typical speed limits on different types of roads.
- In Towns – 50 km/h and 70 km/h on urban roads that have faster traffic
- Single Carriageway –90 km/h
- Expressways and Motorways – 110 km/h
There tends to be some leniency with the speed limit of up to 10% over the speed limit. Still, your best bet is to stick within the speed limits.
Toll roads
There are three types of highways in Tunisia that have toll payments. Keep in mind that the toll payments will vary, so check where you will be driving and get the current information for that section of the road before you go. The toll roads are as follows.
- A-1
- A-2
- A-3
Having a rental care will make it much easier to get to all of the places you want to see. Consider renting when you are on vacation.
