Getting Around Timor-Leste: Mikrolets, Taxis & Cars

In Dili, use mikrolets (shared minibuses, a flat 25 cents) by day and taxis after dark; to travel between towns, most visitors hire a car with a driver, while budget travellers take the early-morning buses that leave Dili’s terminals when full. Roads outside Dili are slow and can become impassable in the wet season, so allow more time than the distances suggest. Prices and schedules below are as of October 2026.

Quick answers

Question	Answer
Mikrolet fare in Dili	US$0.25 flat, any distance, pay the driver in coins
Taxi within Dili	About US$3–6; agree the fare first unless the taxi is metered
Airport to town by taxi	At least US$15
Taxi at night	Blue Taxi is metered and runs 24 hours: +670 7742 7777
Buses to other towns	Leave early morning, when full, from Becora, Taibessi and Tasi Tolu terminals
Which side of the road	Left
Licence for visitors	Your national licence plus an International Driving Permit
Domestic flights	MAF light aircraft to Atauro, Baucau, Lospalos, Maliana, Same, Suai and Viqueque
Ferries	APORTIL ferries from Dili to Atauro and Oé-Cusse, cash tickets at the port

Mikrolets in Dili

Mikrolets (also spelled microlets) are the brightly painted minibuses that carry most of Dili’s commuters. They are cheap and frequent, but there are no timetables, no fixed stops and no signs in English.

Fare: a flat 25 cents for any distance. Carry small coins and hand them to the driver, or pass them forward through other passengers.
Routes and numbers: mikrolets are numbered 1 to 13, and each number runs a fixed loop through one part of the city. Check the number on the windscreen against the route map on the official tourism site. Routes shift informally over time.
Flagging one down: wait at the roadside along the route and wave when one approaches. It will slow down for you to climb in.
Getting off: tap a coin on the metal handrail as you near your stop and the driver will pull over.
Hours: early morning until dusk. They are busiest during school and office hours, when it can be a squeeze.

Route	Main areas along the loop
1	Becora, Bemori, Marabia, Caicoli
3	Comoro/Aimutin, Farol, Lecidere, Bidau
6	Bairro Pite, Colmera, Farol, Bairro Alto
9	Comoro, Praia dos Coqueiros, Marconi, Palapaco
10	Tasi Tolu/Beto, Comoro, Farol, Lecidere
12	Santa Ana, Kuluhun, Metiaut

These are a few of the 13 routes; the landmarks are points along each loop, not exact stops. If you’re unsure, ask the driver or someone at the roadside. From the airport, you can walk to the main road and catch a mikrolet into town; see the Dili airport guide.

Taxis and ride apps

Taxis are the easiest way to get around Dili, especially in the evening. The official tourism site puts typical city fares at US$3–6, and at least US$15 from the airport into town.

Yellow street taxis have no meters. Agree the fare before you get in. Unmetered taxis have charged tourists inflated fares, so ask your hotel what a fair price is.
Blue Taxi is metered and runs 24 hours: +670 7742 7777.
Phone and app services listed by the official tourism site (October 2026): Tron (+670 7651 5022, “Tron Timor” app on Google Play), Go Timor (+670 7324 0970, “GoTimor Ride” app on Google Play) and Tula Hau (+670 7531 8351).

After dark, take a metered or pre-booked taxi rather than a street taxi, and avoid riding alone at night where you can. See health and safety and emergency numbers.

Buses between towns

Long-distance buses, often elaborately painted, leave Dili daily for Maliana and Suai, and via Baucau to Viqueque and Lospalos. On rural routes, smaller minibuses and open-backed trucks with benches, known as angguna, fill the gaps; their departures and fares are informal, so ask locally. There is no timetable: vehicles leave early in the morning once full, from three terminals:

Terminal	Direction
Becora	East: Baucau, Viqueque, Lospalos
Taibessi	South: mountains and south coast
Tasi Tolu	West: Liquiçá, Maliana and the border

Fares are paid in cash on board; ask at the terminal for the current price. Buses are often overcrowded and don’t meet international safety standards, so a car with a driver is the safer choice for longer trips.

Crossing the land border into Indonesia: since 27 August 2026, only authorised bus companies (such as Timor Travel, Babadok and Indonesia’s DAMRI) may carry passengers across, according to the National Directorate of Land Transport. Indonesian rental cars can’t take you over the border.

Car and motorbike rental

Most visitors hire a car with a driver, which Timor-Leste’s official tourism site recommends for flexible travel. Many rental companies expect you to take a driver, and a local driver knows the roads, the checkpoints and where to stop.

Cars and 4WDs: the official tourism site lists 13 car rental companies in Dili (October 2026). Each company sets its own prices, insurance and driver options, so ask about all three before you book. A 4WD is the safer choice for mountain and south-coast roads.
Motorbikes and scooters: seven rental companies are listed. Ask about helmets, insurance and the licence you need. Helmets are mandatory, and motorbike crashes are among the most common accidents.
Prices: we don’t quote rental prices because none of the operators publish them. Get a written quote that says whether fuel, the driver’s meals and accommodation, and insurance are included.

Some rental companies on this site include E Silva Car Rentals, EDS Car Rentals and Taltabi motorbike rental; see all transport businesses.

Driving in Timor-Leste

Rules and licences

Traffic drives on the left.
Licence: visitors can drive with their national licence plus an International Driving Permit (IDP). Canada’s travel advice says this is valid for up to 3 months; for longer stays you need a local licence from the Department of Transport and Communications. UK travellers must get the IDP before leaving home.
Rental companies may set their own conditions, such as a minimum age or driving experience.
Wear seat belts and keep your speed low in villages.

Road conditions

Apart from the main roads in Dili, roads are often unpaved, poorly lit and in poor condition. Mountain roads are narrow and winding, and serious accidents are frequent. Outside Dili, travel in convoy when you can, because emergency services are limited.

Wet season and night driving

In the wet season (roughly November to April), flash floods and landslides can make rural roads impassable. Use a 4WD and allow buffer days before international flights; see weather and seasons. Don’t drive at night outside Dili: roads are unlit and hazards are hard to see.

Journey times from Dili

Road times are approximate and depend on the vehicle, the season and roadworks.

Destination	By road	Other options
Baucau	About 3–4 hours (about 120 km)	MAF flight
Maubisse and the Ainaro mountains	About 3–5 hours, depending on route	None
Lospalos (Lautém)	At least 5 hours, often 6–8	MAF flight
Tutuala Beach	Beyond Lospalos; last 3 km is 4WD only	Boat to Jaco Island from Valu Beach
Suai (Cova Lima)	About 5–8 hours over the mountains	MAF flight, about 35 minutes
Atauro Island	Sea crossing	Ferry about 2¼–3 hours, or MAF flight
Oé-Cusse	Overland through Indonesia (passport and border formalities)	Overnight ferry, about 13 hours

Domestic flights

MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) flies light aircraft from Dili on scheduled services 2–3 times a week to Atauro, Baucau, Lospalos, Maliana, Same, Suai and Viqueque, and offers charters. Seats are sold individually; request a flight through MAF’s online form and check its timetable for current days.
Aero Dili has flown Dili–Oé-Cusse, but Oé-Cusse is not on its website as of October 2026. Check with the airline (+670 7888 8444) before planning around it.

Ferries

The port authority APORTIL runs passenger ferries from Dili. Tickets are sold at the port on the day of travel, in US dollars cash only; arrive at least 60 minutes early. Timetable as checked by the official tourism site on 30 August 2026:

Route	Ferry	Leaves Dili	Fare
Dili–Atauro	Berlin Nakroma	Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun, 08:00	US$4
Dili–Atauro	Success	Tue, Fri, 08:00	US$5
Dili–Oé-Cusse	Berlin Ramelau	Tue, Fri, 17:00	US$8
Dili–Oé-Cusse	Success	Wed, Sun, 16:00	US$10

Weather, maintenance and public holidays can change sailings, so call APORTIL (+670 331 7264) before you go. For Atauro boats, water taxis and flights, see the Dili to Atauro ferry guide.