Information and Travel Guide for Dar es Salaam International Airport
Dar es Salaam International Airport (DAR)

Dar es Salaam International Airport or DAR is the biggest and busiest airport in Tanzania. It is a few kilometers away from Dar es Salaam, the capital city of Tanzania. Following a recent renovation deal between Tanzania and Chinese governments, DAR will soon be the biggest airport in East Africa. It is formally called Julius Nyerere International Airport.

History

Construction of terminal 1 marked the beginning of the current DAR. In 1979, it was expanded to Terminal 2 by the Tanzania Government. In 1984 it was launched by Julius Nyerere (first president of Tanzania). The current official name of DAR - Julius Nyerere International Airport was launched in 2006.

Services and Amenities

JNIA has a number of basic quality accommodations, starting with the information desks that are located on the front court of its two terminals. There is a foreign currency exchange bureau, a post office and a number of ATMS. There are porters to carry your luggage and wheelchairs for disabled people. At the airport, you will find only three restaurants. Two are in the departures hallway and one in the public area. For those who want to hold meetings, there is a conference room and a business lounge. There are only a few shops at the airport and Wi-Fi hotspots are currently unavailable.

Parking & Transportation

Free car parking lot is available in front of the two terminal buildings. If you have heavy luggage, you can simply take a taxi to move between terminals or to the city. Fees are approximately 33 dollars. You may also ask for a car hire service at the information desks in the Arrivals area. These services are offered by Avis and Tanzania Rent a Car. Once you get to town, you can access other car hire providers. There are city centre buses that can give you fifteen minutes ride to Dar es Salaam.

Security

Upon arrival at terminal 2, for domestic and international flights, you will be asked to fill a H1N1 virus form. Kenyans will be asked to produce a yellow fever certificate. It is not a must to have your visa ready as you can have it processed for $50 at the airport.

Surrounding Places to Stay

There are currently no hotels within the Dar es Salaam Airport grounds. However, there are many places to stay in Dar es Salaam metropolitan area, and accommodations can easily be booked online, or once at the airport. Almost all nearby hotels will offer you free shuttle rides to and from the airport.

Travel Tips

Although JNIA is currently in the process of being modernized, it is known to be congested and disorganized. There are long queues to be expected because the facility is quite small now and it is very busy. If you want to fly into this airport or use it to exit Tanzania, come as early as you can. Getting your way around now is pretty difficult.


Contact Information:

Website: http://www.taa.go.tz, www.tanzaniairports.com
Phone: +255 22 2844371/2
Address: PO Box 18032, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Number of Terminals: 2
E-mail: ddia@africaonline.co.tz 
Time Zone: GMT + 3
Location: The airport is located 12 km (8 miles) southwest of Dar es Salaam
Airport code: DAR