Khartoum (Arabic:·… Al-Khartum) is the capital of Sudan and is located where the Blue Nile and White Nile Rivers merge. The huge, spread-out city is actually made out of three distinct cities (Khartoum, Khartoum North or Bahri, and Omdurman) which are divided by the Nile and its two arms. The Blue Nile flows between Khartoum and Bahri, the White Nile between Khartoum and Omdurman, and the merged Nile between Bahri and Omdurman. The confluence of the Blue and White Nile, known as Al-Mogran, lies just north of the bridge between Khartoum and Omdurman.Khartoum proper is the seat of the Sudanese government and is the largest of the three cities. The older part of the city lies beside the White Nile while the newer parts, such as Al-Amarat and Khartoum Two, spread out to the south, across the railway line and the ring road, and around the airport runway. The city, both the old part and its newer extensions, is laid out mostly in a grid. Omdurman has a more Middle Eastern atmosphere with maze-like streets and is home to the huge Souq Omdurman. Bahri is largely industrial and residential.All visitors to Sudan need a visa and a passport as well as sufficient funds in cash. Please see the Sudan page for details. Current as of 04/18, there seems to be no trace of this $500 requirement.All visitors must register within three days of arrival and, if travelling outside Khartoum or taking photographs, obtain a combined Photography and Travel Permit. See the Sudan page for details.Visitors to Sudan must register with the police within three days of arrival. This may be done at border crossings though is easier in Khartoum. This may be done at an office midway the main road and the airport departure terminal. You need a copy of the information page of your passport and of the page with the Sudanese visa with entry stamp. There is a photocopy kiosk near the terminal hall (charges 2 SDG per copy). They did not ask for a photo. Process takes some 10 minutes. In January 2018 registration cost 535 SDG, payable in SDG.Khartoum Airport (KRT) is the main gateway into Sudan by air. The airport is served by various European, Middle Eastern and African airlines. Among the cities with direct connections for Khartoum are: EgyptAir (Cairo), Etihad (Abu Dhabi) Emirates, FlyDubai (Dubai), Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa), Gulf Air (Bahrain), Kenya Airlines (Nairobi), Qatar Airways (Doha) Turkish Airlines (Istanbul). Sudan’s national carrier Sudan Airways links Khartoum and several African and regional capitals, as well as with Sudan’s domestic airports at Port Sudan, Nyala, El-Fashir, Malakal, Juba, Dongola, Wadi Halfa and El-Obeid.No departure tax from 2018. Go early as the airport can get a bit chaotic. Be prepared for long waits and queue cutting. Immigration checks and other security checks can also take a long time. No screens, no information, with separate security check queues for men and women.There is a bank facility to change money in the arrival and departure hall, also open during the night when there are flights. Getting there/away: Khartoum Airport is located close to the city in Al-Amarat. Taxis are available to any spot within the city, prices vary although locals may pay less. You can also walk out to the main road about 200 m from the airport terminal and catch minibuses that cruise along Africa Road.The main tarred road goes south from Khartoum to Wad Medani then east to Gedaref (for the Ethiopian border at Gallabat), Kassala (for the Eritrean border, currently closed) and then to Port Sudan. South from Khartoum, a road also goes to El Obeid, which then continues west towards the Chadian border via Darfur, to Al Fashir, which currently is a bit dangerous to use. From Al Fashir, you can head south to Nyala, and towards the borders of the Central African Republic. However, this route is VERY dangerous. From the north (Egypt), there are now two options to cross the border by road. One involves a ferry accross Lake Nasser from Abu Simbel to Wadi Halfa. It follows the East bank of the Nile. Another route from Aswan follows the West bank of the Nile and does not involve crossing the river. This new tarmac road (open since October 2016) goes directly to Khartoum.There are no road links to southern Sudan. The only option is to fly.The chaotic Souq al-Shaabi (GPS 1531’44.45″N , 3232’34.85″E) used to be the main bus terminal for long distance south-bound buses in Khartoum, but a new terminal has been built which is more orderly. On Google maps you can find this terminal under the name Khartoum Land terminal. Locals know the place as Meena al Barre. Beware of touts. While some of them can be helpful (they help you find the bus that is the first to leave and to get registered in case of need (e.g. for the route to the Etiopian border). A fee of 20 SDG for their service is acceptable. Buses leave for Port Sudan, Wad Medani and Al Qadarif (on the route to the Ethiopian border at Gallabat – Metemma), Kassala, El-Obeid and other cities. Going north long distance buses leave from Omdurman. Again, there are no buses to South Sudan.Buses from/to Shendi and Atbara (both of which can leave you at the Pyramids of Meroe on request) leave regularly from the Shendi Bus Station in Bahri (GPS 1537’26.5″N , 3232’37.6″E).Overnight buses from Aswan, Egypt arrive in Khartoum daily. Most of these buses stop in both Omdurman and Khartoum. Ask the driver where you want to be dropped off. Keep in mind there are two options for traveling by bus to/from Egypt. One route is direct Aswan – Khartoum (24 hours, 450 EGP one way). The other route is via Wadi Halfa (30 hours excluding a stopover in Wadi Halfa where most passengers stay overnight in a low-budget hotel (450 EGP one way busfare, reckon to pay 70 SDG for the hotel). Info January 2018.Railway lines link Khartoum with Wadi Halfa and Port Sudan via Atbara. Trains leave Khartoum main train station is in Khartoum North (Bahri).There are no boat services along the Nile to destinations outside Khartoum.Khartoum is both easy and difficult to get around. It is easy in that much of the city is laid out on a grid, with long straight roads and the airport and Nile as easy reference places. It is difficult in that the city (or indeed the 3 cities) are very spread out, making walking a long and tiring option.Maps are hard to come by, but Google Earth offers some good high-resolution images.These come in three flavours

Airport: KRT Khartoum International Airport Cities in Sri Lanka

Country: Sudan