Border report Conakry – Freetown
I went to Bambetto station early at 6am but 7 plas (with 10 passengers) filled only at 8:20 am we left. There is another Gate/ Station at Madina. Price 160k Guinean Conakry-Freetown. They wanted to charge 20k for the bag, I gave 10k. Since we left late took a while to get off the city (traffic jam) Before border there was a stop for lunch at 11:30. Here I bought already a simcard from Sierra Leone side and paid in Guinean francs, while people were eating. There is option to exchange in border but I did it in Conakry, because I wanted to arrive at the border with the visa money in Leone currency (cheaper than with USD)
At this point many people left our car to meet us in the other side of the border one hour later. Either people with no proper paperwork or because the driver didn’t want to cross overloaded. We were only in 6 people now.
In exit the police checkpoint wanted me to pay 10k Guinean francs, he bring me to the room, I played dumb and say, there is no money to be paid. He insisted, I said I was going to talk to consul, he released me. He also asked vaccination cards. Other locals paid, ‘forced’ by the driver and did not left car.
Immigration was smooth in exit and no ask for bribes. He expected to have the visa paper stamped, he stamped exit in passport and visa paper. He did asked for money for a Senegalese woman and she gave.
Border was between Noon and 1pm
After the stamp in the same compound/building is Sierra Leone offices, all together. They asked for vaccination but didn’t checked than guided me to immigration. I entered a room and she said there was option transit visa 500 Leone (around 25 US) and 30 day 800 Leone (around 40 US). If you pay in US dollars is 80, double the price. She asked where I was staying, I gave the address of my couchsurfing host. I told I was going after to Liberia and Ivory coast (visas on the passport). I handed the money. No more questions asked, she gave a stamp and 30 days.
After we left there are two very corrupt police checkpoints and they expect everyone to give money. First one he asked: money. I said no, I paid expensive visa. He said for me to get off the car, I talked to the chief inside a room and he wasted 15 minutes of our time talking about Brazil and filling up a book slow motion. This one did not ask for money directly. Next checkpoint same. In the room the man said, where is the money, is not obligatory but where is the money. I said, no money. He filled up the book with his gold watch in the wrist asking about my job, what I was doing there, and released me after 10 minutes. I heard him saying to another officer, this one I have problem with the money.
After that, all people came back to the car miraculously and we went straight in great roads to freetown. Back to sardine mode with 10 people in the car.
Arrived in Freetown end of the day due to holiday protests (but other travelers left earlier and arrived around 2pm)
