Tunis is most easily reached via Carthage International Airport, with regular direct flights to most major cities in Western Europe, including the UK, as well as direct flights to Canada and the Gulf. The airport is located inside the city and so is just a few minutes drive from the Taa Marbouta Language Centre. Airlines that fly here include : Emirates, Qatar Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, Transavia, Nouvelair, and TunisAir (although we suggest you avoid TunisAir if possible as delays are inevitable). If you are looking for cheap flights we recommend keeping an eye on Transavia and Nouvelair.
You can also fly to Enfidha Airport near Hammamet. This is around an hour from Tunis and you can fly there from additional destinations with Easyjet and TUI. This is certainly worth looking at, although please note we will not be able to collect you from the airport (we can try to facilitate an airport pickup though).
Flights to the UK take less than three hours and flights to the Gulf take around five and a half hours. You can take taxis from the airport. They tend to be expensive with no fixed fares, so we suggest you keep us informed of your arrival (and share your flight number and flight details) and we can try to arrange a pick-up from the airport. We suggest you exchange money at the airport , as it is not easy to get Tunisian Dinars outside the country (GBP 1 = approx. TND 4, USD 1 = approx. TND 3.23). You can also buy a sim card for your phone at the airport from one of the major phone companies: Ooreedoo, Orange, Tunisie Telecom. They are all equally good.
Any EU nationals arriving in Tunis will receive a stamp upon arrival in their passport. This entitles you to stay for three months in Tunisia before having to leave the country or formally extend your stay. Nationals of the US, Canada, Australia, UK and New Zealand can also remain in Tunisia for three months on the same terms. If you are from another country please let us know so that we can check the visa regulations for your nationality with the Tunisian authorities. You can also take a ferry from Marseille, Nice & Genoa directly to Tunis. This is a comfortable journey that can take up to 24 hours with the ferry companies including CTN, Corsica Linea, and Grimaldi Lines. The port of La Goulette/Halq al-Wad is just a short drive from the Taa Marbouta Language Centre. This is usually more expensive than flying but it does mean you can bring your car relatively easily.
Outside of class time, we help arrange travel and visits to all corners of the country. Tunisia is a diverse country with a beautiful coastline stretching from Cap Angela as the northernmost point in Africa to the Island of Djerba in the south. Tunisia’s interior regions of Kef and Beja are incredibly green, with magnificent hills stretching all the way to the border with Algeria. The Sahara desert slowly appears as you drive further south, and we can help you experience the best of oasis towns such as Tozeur, and native Amazigh/Berber villages in Tataouine, which is also of interest for Star Wars fans. Travel to these other cities can be done by car (the inter-city roads are very good), by train (quite cheap), by minibus or louage (cheap), or by bus (very cheap). We would suggest louage for most students as the best way to get around the country – just let us know what you are thinking and we will help you out!
