Transport Hub
Historically, the city grew from a village along the Dakar – Bamako railway, built in the colonial period, and still used today, however passenger travel itself is limited. A branch line junctioning from this station is proposed to serve Kédougou.
The city lies on the N1 and N7 roads. As a part of the Trans-Sahelian Highway system, these are critical for traffic going between the Kayes Region of Mali and the coastal regions of Sénégal (Dakar, Thiès, Saint-Louis): the most densely populated parts of both these nations. This east - west travel intersects with Senegal's most important route from Dakar to the Casamance region, which is cut off by Gambia. Slow river ferries, border posts, and corrupt border guards mean that many Senegalese are willing to travel far out of their way to avoid the international border. In 2002 the MV Joola ferry from Dakar to Ziguinchor sank, since then a new ferry has replaced it and the water route to Ziguinchor has reopened. The road through Tambacounda is the only internal route between the two parts of the country, however it is also possible to travel through the Gambia.
The town also has an airport, Tambacounda Airport, serviced by national and international flights.
Read more about this topic: Tambacounda
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