Getting around Georgetown and Guyana as a visitor

Most visitors get around Georgetown by taxi or ride app, booked in advance. Guyana has no Uber, no metro or tram, and no airport train. Taxis and ride apps carry most visitors; numbered minibuses carry most residents. The Canadian, British and US travel advisories all tell visitors to use a reputable taxi company and to book ahead, especially for the airport and at night.

Several local apps operate in Guyana; Uber, Lyft and Bolt do not (see is there Uber in Guyana?). With GuyWay you sign up with your own number before you fly, pay by card in the app and see the fare before you confirm: about GYD 2,000 plus GYD 375 a km, so a 5 km ride across town is about GYD 3,900. The driver’s name, car and plate show in the app.

Georgetown has many taxi companies, booked by phone or WhatsApp, and most hotels can call a car for you. Agree the price before you set off.

Numbered minibus routes run from stops around Stabroek Market to the suburbs, the East Bank and the East Coast. They are cheap and frequent in the daytime and are paid in Guyana dollars on board. They are crowded, and luggage is awkward, so most visitors use them only by day and without bags.

Central Georgetown is flat and compact, and walking between nearby places by day is common. Canada’s advice is not to walk alone after dark. If you rent a car, traffic in Guyana drives on the left, and Canada’s advice is to avoid driving at night.

• United Kingdom. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office says to use taxis from reputable companies and book them in advance or take them from official hotel taxi ranks, and, if possible, to avoid travel to and from Cheddi Jagan International Airport late at night and before dawn, because of fatal road accidents caused by erratic driving (FCDO, Guyana safety and security).
• Canada. The Government of Canada says to only use taxis connected to major hotels or from a reputable company (travel.gc.ca, Guyana, updated 28 September 2026).
• United States. The Department of State rates Guyana Level 3, “Reconsider travel”, because of crime (travel.state.gov, Guyana, issued 12 May 2025).

Read the current advisory for your own country before you travel. A pre-booked ride means a named driver and a known car: in GuyWay the app shows the driver, the car and the plate, a trip PIN confirms the right car (on by default at night, or on every ride if you choose), live trip share lets someone follow the ride, and the SOS button reaches our team at any hour. See the safety page.

Guyana’s currency is the Guyana dollar (GYD). GuyWay fares are set in the app and paid there, by Visa, Mastercard or American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay, MMG, PayPal or GuyWay Credit; there is no cash for fares. A card issued abroad is charged in US dollars at the rate shown in the app, and you can switch the fare display between USD and GYD. We do not print a fixed US dollar price because the Bank of Guyana rate moves daily; the app shows the amount before you confirm. Your bank may add a foreign transaction fee. Visitors from Brazil can top up GuyWay Credit with Pix.

Minibuses, markets and small shops take Guyana dollars in notes. Banks and licensed cambios in Georgetown change foreign currency.

Tips for GuyWay drivers are voluntary. You can add one in the app for up to 30 days after the ride, or give cash to the driver, and the whole tip goes to the driver. Elsewhere, check whether a bill already includes a service charge before adding a tip.

Set up the GuyWay app at home: create the account with your own number (the code arrives on WhatsApp), add a card, and book your airport pickup with your flight number. The booking then stands even if your phone takes a while to connect after landing. To see the driver’s details and the PIN you need data, so turn on roaming or a travel data plan before you fly, or buy a local SIM. Guyana’s two mobile networks are GTT and Digicel.

• Georgetown, every district: see taxi service in Georgetown.
• Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and the East Bank: see CJIA airport taxi and transfers, about GYD 17,500 from Stabroek.
• Ogle Airport and the East Coast: see arriving at Ogle.
• Parika, and Bartica by speedboat from Parika: see Georgetown to Parika and Georgetown to Bartica.

Linden, New Amsterdam and Berbice are not served, and Lethem and the interior are not served by road. Domestic flights to Lethem, Kaieteur and the interior leave from Ogle. The taxi in Guyana page has fares and coverage in full.