Practical information Togo

21929  sq.mi

London-Lomé with a connection: 32 hrs 50 mins.

5858673 hab.

The airport lies 3 miles from the heart of Lome. Prepare over XOF 2 000 for the 15 minute journey. Buses also travel to the airport. There are no airport taxes.

In spite of the sweeping economic crisis and the tense political dialogue, peace reigns throughout the country. Security conditions could, however, deteriorate at any moment. It is therefore advisable to report your presence to the consulate upon arrival.
Crime control is stable in Lome, but has the tendancy to break down in the provincial towns. Be careful when going out in the evening, even for a short walk, and avoid travelling in the evening. In case of a road accident, do not stop, instead go to the nearest police station. The use and possession of drugs (including cannabis) are severely punished. Never go out without your passport to avoid embarrassment at check points.
Useful numbers:
Emergencies/Police: 117
Central police station: 221.28.71
Gendarmerie: 221.26.06
Firefighters: 118
Emergency numbers for the British High Commission; (00-233) 027 7547120 & (00-233) 024 4327197
221.25.77 / 221.25.83.

Togo is made up of over 45 different ethnic groups. Apart from French, the official language, a host of other languages are spoken. The most widely spoken are the Ewe and its southern variant, the Mina, and the Kabye or the Dagomba in the north.

A return ticket, a passport valid for six months after the return date and a short term visa are required. Your address of residency will be requested.

The ethnic diversity is transposed to the religious arena with animists (51%), Christians (29%) and Islam (20%).

The local currency is the CFA franc (XOF). 1 pound Sterling = 828 CFA francs. Very few places accept credit cards (primarily Visa), there are no cash machines here and only the main branch of the 'Banque Togolaise de Commerce International' (BTCI) in Lomé accepts credit card withdrawals.
All the banks in Lomé accept travellers cheques. In the rest of the country, you are best off going to the BTCI or to the 'Union Togolaise de Banque' (it is easier to change money in the south of the country). Avoid changing small amounts of money as banks charge a transaction fee each time you exchange money. Banks are open from Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 11:00am and 2:30pm to 4:00pm.

There is no bus service at Lome. Transportation is either by shared taxis (that run like buses with an itinerary and fixed rates), or by ordinary taxis (bargain well, because they are not fitted with meters). There are also bike-taxis (Zems) much faster and cheaper than ordinary taxis, but much more dangerous!
Bush-taxis are minibuses that run rapidly and regularly along the roads of the country. City taxis swarm the coastal roads from Lome to Aneho. You can hire a car at Lome, but the prices are simply outrageous. There is right-hand driving and the international licence is recognised. The state of the roads varies. In case of an incident on the road, do not stop. Go to the nearest police station or gendarmerie and inform the Embassy as soon as possible. Avoid night journeys. Do not hesitate to stop at the police check points or road blocks, and always have the documents for your car at hand. Several hotels have accredited drivers who can be hired with their cars for the day (roughly XOF 25 000). You can hire a bicycle in the cities and in tourist areas. This will help to save time at road blocks. The only operational railway links Lome to Blitta. It is rather slow, as it leaves Lome at 5:00 am to arrive in Blitta during the night.
Several private airlines travel to the main towns on a regular basis.

It is strongly recommended to be vaccinated against yellow fever. Due to recent epidemics, vaccines against meningitides A and C and typhoid are highly recommended, as well as an immunisation against hepatitis B, tetanus and poliomyelitis. The vaccine against rabies is justified for adventurous travellers on long visits. The country is listed in zone 3 concerning malaria so go and see a doctor before leaving. Pack an anti-mosquito cream. Most cities have a hospital or a health centre, but they are generally crowded and lack equipment. Also, it is recommended to subscribe to insurance covering medical expenses and to medical repatriation insurance. It is essential to avoid any blood transfusion since Togo does not have the right equipment to detect blood infected by HIV. Favour eating cooked food and drink bottled water, closed with a cap. Only use treated water to wash fruit and vegetables and to brush your teeth.

Useful numbers:
Lome Hospital Centre: 221.56.67
St. Joseph Clinic centre: 226.94.42
La Dama Clinic Centre: 227.23.05
Hospital in Afagnan: 335.10.01
Hospital in Aneho: 331.02.22
Hospital in Atakpame: 440.00.80
Hospital in Dapaong: 770.81.14
Hospital in Kara: 660.61.49
Hospital in Kpalime: 441.00.81
Hospital in Sokode: 550.05.47

Voltage is 220 V. Adapter not needed.

To call Togo from the UK: 00 + 228 (country code) + phone number.
To call the UK from Togo: 00 + 44 + phone number without 0.