Metro Sahel - Sousse-Monastir-Mahdia
Page update - Jan 14, 2023
Tunisia's Sahel region is home to the country's most modern railway line, called the Sahel Metro. This fully electrified line is the pride of Tunisian railways. We can surely call it the most convenient and useful public transport for tourists. We will tell you about the Sahel Metro in detail on this page.
The prices, timetable, and other information on this page were updated in January 2023. In recent times, the timetable has slightly changed, and the fares have not increased.
From where and to where you can get
The Metro Sahel line runs between the cities of Sousse, Monastir, Moknine, and Mahdia.
The line has a total length of 73 kilometers (45 miles) and is served by 46 trains. The daily passenger traffic is 22,000 (this official figure is obviously an overestimate).
Travel time between Sousse and Monastir is around 30 minutes.
Travel time between Monastir and Mahdia is around 60 minutes.
Travel time between Sousse and Mahdia (full route) is about 1 hour 45 minutes.
The Sahel Metro stations are close to important tourist areas and attractions: Habib Bourguiba International Airport (Skanes district, Monastir city), hotels of the Skanes tourist area (Monastir city), hotels of the Mahdia tourist area, and the Sousse city with all its attractions.
Fares
The fare between Sousse and Monastir is 1 Tunisian dinar for an adult and 750 millimes (0.75 dinar) for a child. For the current exchange rates of the Tunisian dinar, please see our in-depth review "Tunisian currency".
The fare between Mahdia and Monastir is 1.9 dinar. The fare between Sousse and Mahdia (whole route) is 2,5 dinars. For how the tickets look like, see the photo below, click on the photo to enlarge to full screen.
Penalty for a stowaway is 20 dinars. There is a ticket inspector at every train. If there is no ticket office at the boarding station (it happens quite often) you can approach the inspector and he/she will sell you a ticket.
You do not need to put the ticket at the turnstile or validate it somehow. You just buy your ticket at the ticket office, show the ticket to the inspector at the entrance to the platform (if he/she will be there), then board and show the ticket to the inspector inside the train.
Timetable
Trains run every 20-40 minutes, from 5 am to 8 pm (5-00 to 20-00). There's not much point in studying the timetable, as it's easier to arrive at the station and wait for a while.
If you still want to see the current timetable, you can find it with a special Android app, search for it by the name "Metro Sahel". Or find the updated timetable at the official website https://www.sncft.com.tn/en/sahel-suburbs/schedule/
How is the line useful for tourists
If you are arriving on your own (not by package tour) at Habib Bourguiba Airport (Monastir), the Metro Sahel is a convenient connection to the hotels in Mahdia, Sousse and El Kantaoui. The station is very close to the airport, about only 300 meters (1000 feet). See a photo of the airport from the train window near, click on the photo to enlarge.
Hotels in Skanes (Monastir) are close to the airport, so there is no point in taking the train, as it is easier and cheaper to get there by taxi. You can read about the fares in our detailed review "Taxis in Tunisia".
Attractions in Monastir are easily, conveniently, cheaply accessible by Metro Sahel for tourists from the hotels in Sousse, El Kantaoui, and Mahdia. These attractions are: the Mausoleum of Habib Bourguiba, the Ribat of Monastir, the Habib Bourguiba Mosque, the Medina, and the Habib Bourguiba Museum.
Guests of hotels in Monastir and Mahdia can take a trip to Sousse to see the local attractions: Sousse Archaeological Museum, the Medina, the Sousse Ribat, and the Great Mosque, go to the Aqua Palace and AquaSplash water parks, and the Hannibal Amusement Park.
From Monastir or Sousse hotels, it is convenient to go to Mahdia and see the Black Gate, the Mahdia Museum, and the Forts.
Of course, tourists from Mahdia can go to Sousse, and tourists from Sousse and El Kantaoui can go to Mahdia. But it is quite tiring - it takes almost two hours to travel by train. If you are not sure in your stamina, this is not a trip we recommend.
If you want to see the town of Moknine, the best way is to take the Metro Sahel. There are often no excursions to Moknine and it is very expensive to take a taxi there.
Features
- Trains in Tunisia are sometimes late. More accurately to say, they very rarely arrive on time. Don't be surprised if they are even 15 minutes late;
- The Metro Sahel trains are usually half-empty, there are no crowds, there is always seating and space to put large luggage. The trains are quiet and pleasant to ride. The photo near shows the interior of the train on a weekday, click on the photo to enlarge to full screen;
- The entire line is within the coverage area of the mobile operator Ooredoo. If you buy a SIM from Ooredoo, you can stay connected to the internet the whole trip. Learn more in detailed review "Internet in Tunisia";
- Given the low ticket price, we don't recommend explaining to the cashier that the child will accompany you. It's easier to buy an adult ticket for your child than to explain to the cashier. Use your fingers to show how many tickets are needed;
- The ticket does not specify either the class of the carriage or the seat. Sit in any available seat in any car of the train;
- You can get a booklet with the route and train timetable at the ticket offices of large stations. Unfortunately, booklets are rarely in stock;
- Please note! In Sousse, Metro Sahel trains leave from a separate station, Gare Sousse Bab Jdid, rather than from the main train station. Bab Jdid station is small, pictured near, click on the photo to enlarge to full screen;
- In Mahdia, the train arrives at Gare Mahdia terminus station. After exiting the station, turn right and walk down the street for 600 meters (2,000 feet), you will reach Skifa el Kahla (Black Gate). You can start sightseeing, you don't have to pay for a taxi;
- The beach hotels area in Mahdia is close to Mahdia tourist-Zone station. You can walk to the station from some of the hotels. Or take a taxi, the price is few dinars only;
- The beach hotels area in Monastir is close to Les Hotels Monastir and Aeroport Skanes Monastir stations. You can walk to the station from some of the hotels. Or take a taxi, the price is few dinars only;
- While riding, the stations are not announcing, there are no electronic boards, and it is hard to understand when to get off. If you don't know, ask the inspector and he/she will at least be able to tell you by his/her fingers how many minutes (or stations) it will take to get off;
- There are toilets at Sousse, Monastir, Mahdia stations, at a cost of 200-500 millimes.
List of stations
Sousse Bab Jadid >I< Sousse Mohamed V >I< Sousse South >I< Aig-L22 >I< Sousse Industrial Zone >I< Sahline >I< Sahline Sebkha >I< Hotels Monastir >I< Skanes-Monastir airport station >I< La Faculte >I< Gare Habib Bourguiba Monastir >I< Monastir Industrial Zone >I< Khniss – Bembla >I< Ksiba Bennane >I< Bouhjar >I< Lamta >I< Sayada >I< Ksar Hellal Industrial Zone >I< Ksar Hellal >I< Moknine Gribaa >I< Moknine >I< Teboulba Industrial Zone >I< Teboulba >I< Bekalta >I< Baghdadi >I< Mahdia tourist-Zone >I< Sidi Messaoud Simes >I< Borj Arif >I< Mahdia Ezzahra >I< Gare Mahdia.
Important to know
- Train station cashiers only accept dinars. No US dollars, UK pounds or Euros will be accepted under any circumstances. Exchange your money and read our in-depth review "Currency Exchange in Tunisia";
- The Metro Sahel line is now being completed. It will continue along the coast to the large city of Sfax. It will then be easy to see the city on your own.
Have a great trip by the Metro Sahel trains and read our interesting pages about Tunisia (see the pages list below).
|
