Can I get to Mauritania by train?

I would like to visit several countries in Africa this month. I will go there very soon and hope that this vacation will live up to my expectations. I will spend one week in Mauritania and then I will proceed to Mali, Algeria, Morocco and West Sahara. Can I get to Mauritania by train?

No, you can’t. There is only one big train route that leads to Zouérate. It is a 675 kilometers long route through Sahara. It is not a tourist ride and only true adventurers may consider such ride attractive. Goats, blazing sun and desperate “passengers” relieving themselves over the side of the car aren’t exactly a regular tourist attraction. There is only one passenger car and only one train a day.

I suggest you fly there. There are good flights from Paris to Nouakchott. There are flights from Casablanca and Algiers few times a week. You can catch flights from Bamako, Banjul, Abidjan and Dakar. I suggest you don’t buy return tickets from other African countries since they are much cheaper in Mauritania than the rest of the continent.