Getting around · Tahiti · French Polynesia
Getting around Tahiti
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Musée de Tahiti et des Îles, Tahiti · Photo: Wmpearl, CC0
Quick answer
A coastal road circles Tahiti Nui for about 115 km, with PK posts counting distance from Papeete in both directions. A hire car is the most practical way to explore; buses run along the coast and ferries link Papeete with Moorea. Recommended if you want to see more than Papeete and your resort.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Car
- Airports
- PPT, MOZ
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
Plan a trip to Tahiti
Compare flights, places to stay and rental cars, then book with the provider you choose.
Ways to get around
Car
Hire cars are available at the airport and in Papeete; driving is on the right and the coast road is easy outside Papeete's rush hours.
Avoid driving into Papeete between about 6am and 8:30am, when commuter traffic backs up for kilometres.
Bus
Public buses run along the coast road from Papeete to both sides of the island, but services thin out in the evening and on Sundays.
Ferry
Aremiti and Terevau fast ferries cross from the Papeete terminal to Vaiare on Moorea in about 30–45 minutes, several times a day; Aremiti also carries cars.
Book car spaces in advance at weekends and in school holidays.
Taxi
Taxis wait at the airport and in Papeete; fares are high and higher at night, so confirm the price before setting off.
Walking
Central Papeete, from the market to the waterfront and cathedral, is easily walkable, but the rest of the island is too spread out.
From the airport
Faa'a International Airport is about 5 km west of Papeete, roughly 10–15 minutes by car outside rush hour. Taxis and hire cars are available, and many hotels arrange transfers. Air Tahiti's inter-island flights to Moorea, Bora Bora and other islands depart from the same airport.
Do you need a car?
Recommended if you want to see more than Papeete and your resort. A day's hire covers the circle-island drive, waterfalls and beaches; otherwise book tours.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Moorea | About 30–45 minutes by ferry | Fast ferry from Papeete to Vaiare |
| Circle-island drive | A full day with stops | Hire car or guided tour |
| Tahiti Iti and Teahupo'o | About 1 hour 15 minutes by car | Hire car, then boat tour from Teahupo'o |
| Papenoo Valley 4x4 tour | Half a day with pick-up | Guided 4x4 tour from Papeete |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Tahiti?
Recommended if you want to see more than Papeete and your resort. A day's hire covers the circle-island drive, waterfalls and beaches; otherwise book tours.
+How do you get from the airport to Tahiti?
Faa'a International Airport is about 5 km west of Papeete, roughly 10–15 minutes by car outside rush hour. Taxis and hire cars are available, and many hotels arrange transfers. Air Tahiti's inter-island flights to Moorea, Bora Bora and other islands depart from the same airport.
+What is the best way to get around Tahiti?
Car: Hire cars are available at the airport and in Papeete; driving is on the right and the coast road is easy outside Papeete's rush hours.