How to move around Georgetown

Georgetown is Guyana’s Capital City. It was so named after the British conquered the Dutch in 1812. The name originates from Fort St. George, which was established at the mouth of the Demerara River as a signal station for the purpose of observing and controlling incoming and outgoing traffic.

Georgetown is the centre of government administration and a wide range of economic and commercial activity. Most of the streets of Georgetown are laid out in almost perfect rectangles. This makes it fairly easy for even those who are unfamiliar with the City to find their way around.

The larger concentration of businesses and commercial activities are found ‘downtown’. Camp Street bound this area to the east and by Water Street on the west with Lamaha Street and Brickdam being the northern and southern extremities respectively. However, there are an increasing number of businesses located further east of Camp Street in Regent Street.

Getting Around By Road

There is a network of privately owned mini-buses, which provide efficient transportation around the city. These operate in allocated zones for which, there is a well-regulated fare structure. This arrangement extends to all mini bus routes throughout the country. Taxis have freer movement around the city and into rural areas. Their fare, while generally standard, is less regulated. The mini-bus zones are as follows:

Bus No . Route

40 - Kitty/Campbellville

41 - Lodge/South East and West Ruimveldt

45 - Main/Lamaha/Albert Street

The network of routes has a number of identifiable starting points, which are concentrated in the Stabroek area and along the Avenue of the Republic between Croal and Robb Streets. Any citizen would willingly direct the newcomer to the right ‘Car park’. Also, many public phone booths are conveniently placed in and around the city. A phone card on hand is a great advantage. These can be easily obtained from most stores or pharmacies or directly from any of GT&T’s Business Offices.

The following ‘car parks’ are the boarding points for the respective destinations. However, it is possible to board some buses anywhere on the route.

Destination Car Park

Kitty/Campbellville Croal Street Demico House Area

Main/Lamaha/Albert Street Berbice Hink Street Brown Betty area

East Coast Regent Street Bank of Baroda Area

East Bank/Linden/ Timehri Hadfield Street Public Buildings area

Getting Around By Air

Air Transport is readily available for travelling to several other parts of the hinterland, whether for business or for pleasure. The several local airlines depart from both the Ogle Aerodrome on the East Coast of Demerara and from CBJ International Airport, Timehri. Information on their availability and movement is easily obtainable from their offices and from tour operators.

Getting Around By River

While one way of travelling to East Berbice is by ferry, mainly between Rosignol and New Amsterdam, commuters to West Demerara have a choice of road transport via the Demerara Harbour Bridge or by the Demerara River ferry from the Stabroek Stelling to Vreed-en-Hoop, which is obliquely opposite.

The Highway, which begins on the West Coast of Demerara, is heavily trafficked since it provides a link to Parika on the East Bank of Essequibo River, which has become an important centre of economic activity in the Essequibo region. For example, speedboats or other types of transportation can be hired to take passengers as far as Bartica and other hinterland resorts and back in a single day.

Domestic Air Service & Charters

Internal flights and charters originated from ogle airport, which is much closer to the city, to the many interior landing strips across the country and also to neighbouring countries.