TER Dakar–AIBD: the train finally serves the airport, and how to make the most of it

The Dakar–AIBD TER changes the way you arrive in Senegal, but not for everyone and not at every hour. Since Monday 28 September 2026, the Regional Express Train no longer ends at Diamniadio: it runs all the way to Blaise Diagne International Airport (AIBD), and Dakar station is now only about 55 minutes from the runways. If you land during the day with a backpack, go for it. If your plane touches down at two in the morning with three suitcases and two children, read on before you celebrate.

At a glance

Nine years of road, then 19 kilometres of rail

When AIBD opened in Diass, in December 2017, arriving in Senegal changed completely. Gone was the Yoff airport set in the middle of the city: in its place came a long toll motorway through the bush, some fifty kilometres to central Dakar, and a journey time at the mercy of the traffic. The train arrived in two stages. At the end of 2021, the first phase of the TER linked Dakar station with Diamniadio, the new town that is home to the stadium, the Dakar Arena and the ministerial complex known as the Sphères. For nearly five years, the line stopped there, around twenty minutes by road from the planes.

On 28 September 2026, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye inaugurated the second phase: 19 kilometres of electrified double track between Diamniadio and the airport, bringing the line to about 55 kilometres. The airport station, the end of the line, is connected to the terminal by a footbridge, a few minutes’ walk from the halls, and new trains have joined the fleet to run the service.

The TER remains a public network: its infrastructure belongs to the state and is managed by SENTER, the national company that manages the TER’s assets. Official announcements (fares, timetables, disruptions) go out through its channels and those of the line: that is where to look before you set off.

Key facts & figures

The line, from Dakar station to the runways

The line starts from Dakar’s historic station, at the end of the Plateau, then crosses the whole of the suburbs: Colobane, Hann, Pikine, Thiaroye, Rufisque, Bargny, before Diamniadio. A dozen stations punctuate this first section, which carries most of the daily commuters. After Diamniadio, the new track runs through the bush to the airport terminus.

An important point if you do not want to be left on the platform: not all trains go as far as the airport. Between Dakar and Diamniadio, they run a few minutes apart; towards the airport, allow for one departure every twenty to twenty-five minutes or so, as some trains terminate at Diamniadio. Check the destination displayed on the platform and on the train before boarding, and if you are in a hurry, do not let a direct train go in order to wait for the next one at Diamniadio.

Arriving at AIBD and taking the train

As you leave the terminals, follow the signs for the train: the footbridge takes you to the station in a few minutes on foot. Tickets are bought on site, at the station: have some CFA francs ready as soon as you get off the plane. Keep your ticket until you leave the station.

After that, it all depends on where you are staying. The train drops you at the station, not at your door: if you are staying on the Plateau or in the Médina, the rest of the journey is short; if you are going to the Almadies, Ngor or Yoff, you will still need a taxi from the centre, and the advantage of the train shrinks with the distance. For Diamniadio, the train is unbeatable: just a few minutes separate the two stations.

Leaving Dakar for the airport

For departures, the TER is a game-changer at the times when the motorway clogs up. In the late afternoon, getting off the peninsula can turn just under an hour’s drive into an ordeal, and that is precisely when many flights to Europe board. The train, for its part, is immune to traffic jams. Still, allow a comfortable margin: missing a train to the airport means losing twenty minutes or so, and check-in and security will not wait for you.

Watch out for night flights. The last train leaves in the evening, around 22:00: for a flight that takes off in the early hours, the TER will be of no use to you, unless you arrive the day before and wait at the airport.

Luggage, children, night-time: when the train is not enough

The TER is a fast suburban train, not a dedicated airport shuttle. At rush hour, between Dakar and Rufisque, the trains fill up with daily commuters, and two large suitcases quickly become a nuisance in a packed carriage.

Three situations therefore argue in favour of the road. First, night-time: a good many flights from Europe land in the evening or after midnight, when the train is no longer running. Next, families: for four people, the train fare multiplies, whereas a transfer is paid per vehicle and shared. Finally, the destination: the TER does not serve Saly, the Somone, Lac Rose or Saint-Louis. For the Petite Côte, the airport is in fact already south of Dakar: going back up to the capital by train would be a detour.

Resident or visitor: two ways to use it

If you live in Senegal, the TER becomes your go-to option for solo trips with cabin baggage: a return trip to Abidjan or Paris with light luggage, meeting a colleague during the day, and the certainty of never again missing a flight because of a lorry broken down on the motorway. A transfer is still worth it for picking up relatives with their suitcases, for getting home at night, or for heading straight from the airport to a weekend on the Petite Côte, with the resident rate as a bonus.

If you are discovering Senegal, the train is a good idea for a daytime arrival, if you are staying near the centre and travelling light: it is an easy first encounter with the city and its suburbs, seen from the window. For a night-time arrival, a first family trip or a destination outside Dakar, book a transfer before you leave instead: the driver tracks your flight and waits for you, whatever the time.

A word about the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG), from 31 October to 13 November 2026: some of the events are being held in Diamniadio. Expect very crowded trains on the line during the fortnight, and allow plenty of time if you have a flight to catch.

The alternatives: transfers you can book with QFS

For everything the train does not do, QFS brings together transfers you can book in advance. The Airport / Dakar category covers journeys between AIBD and Dakar, the Petite Côte or Saint-Louis, with a driver who tracks your flight number. Intercity transfers take over for Touba, Joal or the Petite Côte from Dakar, and vehicle hire with driver covers everything else. For an overview, see the Transport & transfers section.

The price of each transfer is shown on its listing and is per vehicle, not per person. You pay 20% to secure your booking (the booking fee), and the balance is paid on site, on the day, to the driver. Depending on the listing, the motorway toll is either included or payable on site and not included in the price: each listing specifies which. If you live in Senegal, you get the resident rate: up to 30% off (the exact rate is shown on each listing). The TER ticket, on the other hand, cannot be booked on QFS: it is bought at the station.

And beyond the airport?

The railway is not done expanding yet. Studies have been launched to extend the line to Thiès, and an extension to Mbour is under consideration. None of this will happen any time soon: for Saly, Thiès or Saint-Louis, the road remains the only option. In the meantime, make the most of the train to get to Diamniadio on a match or concert night, and to cross Dakar without seeing a single traffic jam.

Frequently asked questions