Travel Guide: Algiers

Algiers (الجزائر) is the capital of Algeria.

[edit] Understand

Algiers is the capital and largest city of Algeria, and the largest city in the Maghreb, with a population of 3,664,000 within the city metropolitan area. Algiers is situated on the west side of a bay of the Mediterranean Sea. The modern part of the city is built on the level ground by the seashore; the old part, the ancient city of the deys, climbs the steep hill behind the modern town and is crowned by the casbah or citadel, 400 ft (122 m) above the sea.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Houari Boumediene Airport (ICAO: DAAG, IATA: ALG) [1] is located 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Algiers: the airport is named after former Algerian president Houari Boumediene.
The airport is the home base of the flag-carrier Air Algerie [2].
Air Algerie serves the most important Algerian cities (such as Oran, Annabaq, Tammanrasset, Skikda, Tlemcen, Constantine) several times daily. There also many connections to African capitals such as Bamako, Cairo, Abidjan, Dakar, Tunis, and Ouagadougo.
Air Algerie operates from Hall 1 as Hall 2 is reserved for the international airlines.
International Airlines

Aigle Azur (Basel/Mulhouse, Lille, Lyon, Nice (seasonal), Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Paris-Orly, Toulouse)
Air Berlin (Cologne-Bonn)
Air France (Marseilles, Paris-Charles de Gaulle)
Air Méditerranée (Montepellier)
Alitalia (Milan-Malpensa, Rome-Fiumicino)
British Airways (London-Heathrow)
EgyptAir (Cairo)
Iberia (Madrid)
Jetairfly (Brussels, Seasonal)
Libyan Airlines (Tripoli)
Lufthansa (Frankfurt)
Middle East Airlines (Beirut)
Qatar Airways (Doha)
Royal Air Maroc (Casablanca ,Oudja)
Saudi Arabian Airlines (Jeddah)
Spanair (Alicante , Barcelona, Valencia)
Syrian Arab Airlines (Aleppo, Damascus)
TAP Portugal (Lisbon)
Tunisair (Tunis)
Turkish Airlines (Istanbul-Atatürk)

[edit] Airport Transfer

Taxi, (Outside of Hall 2). Taxis can be found outside of the Hall 2; as they have no taximeters, a price should be arrangend in advance the ride to Algiers Center takes around 20 min and should not cost more than 600 dinar ($4). edit

Bus. The bus operates every 30 min in the daytime to the centre for and costs 25 dinar paid on the bus. edit

[edit] By train

Algiers Central Train Station is located near the city centre. The station offers regular services to major Algerian cities such as Oran, Annaba, and Constantine. SNTF(the national Algerian Train company) has made big improvements during the last years: new air-conditioned trains have been purchased and new routes launched.

[edit] By car

Being the capital of the country most, if not all major roadways in Algeria begin and end in Algiers. So getting into Algiers is quite easy. However, the infrastructure of Algerian roadways is not highly regarded so arriving by road might not be the most desirable option. There are a number of road projects around the country that are aimed at improving the infrastructure, most notably the East-West highway running from Annaba in the east to Oran in the west, of course coming through Algiers.

[edit] By bus

La Gare Routiere, Algiers's central bus terminus, located in the commune of Hussein Dey (about 7-10 min drive from downtown), offers a plethora of bus services to most major Algerian cities and towns. It is a very cheap and efficient way to get to/from a pair of Algerian cities. Most of the coaches used are modern and air-conditioned so the rides are, more often than not, comfortable. However, there are a few old coaches still in service, so try to avoid those, for the ride won't be as pleasant.
For long distances as Algiers-Tammanrasset or Algiers-Annaba travelling by plane is recommend due the long duration.

[edit] By boat

They are regular ferry services to Algiers from Marseille, Nice, Palermo, Alicante .

[edit] Get around

[edit] Public transportation

Algiers Public Transportation is lacking but the city is going to make improvements with the opening of the long-delayed first Metro line: there are buses opereating within the city center and to the suburbs.

[edit] Metro

After more then three decades of contruction (or lack of if) the first segment of Algiers Metro finaly opend on November 1, 2011. Line 1 servces ten stations from Tafourah Grande Poste just south of Gare d'Alger, the central railway station, in the city centre to Haï El Badr with stops along several of the most important places in the city.

			Stations
	●		Tafourah - Grande Poste
	●		Khelifa Boukhalfa
	●		1er Mai
	●		Aïssat Idir
	●		Hamma
	●		Jardin d'essais
	●		Les Fusillés
	●		Cité Amirouche
	●		Cité Mer et Soleil
	●		Haï El Badr

[edit] Taxis

Taxis are a fast and cheap way to get around in Algiers they can be found at taxi stands but negotiate the price before riding: a tip is not expected but can be given if the sevice was really good.

[edit] Buses

Buses are operating within the city center and to the suburbs: tickets are purchased on the bus for 20 dinar. A man with a bundle of tickets come to you.

[edit][add listing] See

Monument of Martyrs, (in city center). edit

La Grande Poste. edit

Aquafortland is an area attraction as well as Monument des Martyrs.

[edit] Casbah

The Casbah is the ancient city, dating to the 17th century.

Ketchaoua Mosque. Built in 1794 by the Dey Baba Hassan. edit
El Djedid Mosque. Built in 1660 during the Turk reign. edit
El Kebir Mosque. Oldest mosque in the Casbah. edit

[edit][add listing] Do

[edit][add listing] Buy

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit][add listing] Drink

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Sofitel Algiers Hamma Garden.

Mercure Alger Aeroport

Sheraton Club des Pins Resort and Towers. Beachfront resort.

Ibis Alger Aéroport.

Spa Dahli Hotel Hilton. Scenic hotel among pine trees overlooking the bay. Offers lunch at The Pool House, traditional tagine at Casbah and a drink at the late-night Kantara Bar.