Transportation in Manama

Manama's transport scene is built around taxis, ride-hailing apps, and a patchwork of local buses. Taxis are everywhere but fall into two camps: the cream-colored city cabs that run on the meter and the unmetered hotel-stand cars that can cost several times more, always insist on the meter or agree a fare before you set off. Careem and Uber work well here and are usually a fraction of the price of a hotel taxi. For the adventurous, the public buses (look for the green "City Bus" livery) cover most districts for next to nothing. But routes and timetables are geared to commuters rather than sightseers, so expect limited English signage and no evening service. First-timers should download the official "BeAware Bahrain" app: it shows live bus positions and has an English interface. If you're staying along the Budaiya or Sheikh Khalifa Bin Salman Highway corridors, buses can be handy. Otherwise stick to ride-hailing to avoid getting stranded. Note that there is no metro or rail system, anyone offering a "Manama Metro ticket" is running a scam. From Bahrain International Airport, skip the curbside touts and head to the official taxi rank just outside Arrivals. The metered fare to central Manama is typically moderate and the ride takes 15, 20 minutes. If you land late, ride-hailing cars still queue outside, just connect to the airport Wi-Fi to book.