Editing Freetown (section)

== Transportation ==
[[File:Siaka Stevens Street, Freetown.jpg|thumb|300px|A normal day Freetown street with "Keke", regular taxis and private vehicles on the road]]

=== Air transportation ===

[[Freetown International Airport]] is the international airport which serves Freetown and the rest of the country. It is located in the town of [[Lungi, Sierra Leone|Lungi]], about 17&nbsp;km north-east of Freetown across the sea. It serves as the primary airport for domestic and international travel to and from Sierra Leone. The airport is operated by Sierra Leone Airports Authority. There is a frequent commercial fast boat, [[buses|bus]], and [[ferry]] service to Freetown and other parts of the country. [[Hastings Airport (Sierra Leone)|Hastings Airport]] provides secondary service, but can only handle small aircraft because of its short runway. It is located about 14&nbsp;km south-east of downtown Freetown (nearly 22&nbsp;km by road).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://maps.google.com/?ll=8.394156,-13.12892&spn=0.020166,0.017166&t=h&z=16|title=Google Maps|website=Google Maps|access-date=August 21, 2017}}</ref>

==== Transfers to Freetown ====
Passengers have the choice of [[hovercraft]], ferry, road (5 hours), [[speedboat]], water taxi, local banana boats and helicopter to cross the river to Freetown. Ferry is the cheapest option. Hovercraft and ferry operations have at times been suspended due to passenger overloads and safety issues. Several piers are unusable at low-tide. During these times, there is no dry path from land to the speedboats or water taxi. Operators offer from the beachhead to hoist passengers and their luggage above water-level while themselves wade into the sea to help patrons and their belongings board.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/neumeyer/6891131191/in/photolist-2ohc4gH-2oYF8HX-2piHRkj-2j7hhsF-riqUQu-buWR5z-buWRpi-2kpn9Wd-2pivBkg-buWRdK-2oWz5ct-2pbHeYn-buWRQP-buWRwp-2pepibU-buWRFR-2poXgkB-e8rsvC-buWQV8-buWEvi-buWCtt-2pKFqdv-buWCgk-buWEfZ-e8kN7T-buWF3K-buWC82-buWBWe-buWCR6-buWBLK-buWEH8-buWDUn-ttFomX-2j7cS7q-safcxq-rswmJ8 | title = Scene of speedboat pier at lowtide | access-date=February 17, 2012}}</ref>

=== Access by sea ===
Sierra Leone has the largest natural [[harbour]] on the African continent. Ships from all over the globe berth at Freetown's [[Queen Elizabeth II Quay]]. Passenger, cargo, and private craft also utilize Government Wharf nearer to central Freetown. Recent investment has seen the introduction of high-tech [[cargo scanning]] facilities.

=== Access by land ===

====Road====
Sierra Leone's infrastructure is limited, and its highways and roads reflect this. The roads and highways of the country are administered by the Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA) which has often been crippled by corruption. Highway 1 enters the city from the town of Waterloo, several kilometers to the south. Despite the SLRA's limited capabilities, main feeder/trunk roads have been reconstructed to a high standard.

====Railway====
Following a recommendation from the [[International Bank for Reconstruction and Development]], the [[Sierra Leone Government Railway]] which linked Freetown to the rest of the country was permanently closed in 1974. The iron rails were looted in the following years.