Local chapas from MPM cost about 30–50 MZN per ride
Chapas Minibuses run from outside Maputo Airport’s Terminal A and B, mainly during daylight hours, and they’re what locals use for the 7–10 km hop toward the city. Figure on paying roughly 30–50 Mozambican meticais cash, depending on distance and how full the van is. This is the opposite of a metered airport taxi: low fare, high friction, very little English, and zero signage pointing you where to stand.
The chapas don’t enter the terminal forecourt like taxis; you usually walk 150–300 meters out toward the main road (Avenida Acordos de Lusaka) and wait where you see other passengers flagging vans. Routes aren’t posted. You ask the conductor through the window for your area (Baixa, Museu, etc.) and they nod or shake their head. If your guesthouse is 8–12 km from MPM, expect at least one transfer and 40–70 minutes total with stops.
These are standard 14–18 seat Toyota-style minibuses, often carrying 20+ people at peak times. Luggage bigger than a 40L backpack becomes a problem; a 60–70L trekking pack may ride on your lap or be wedged by the sliding door. You usually pay the conductor 20–50 MZN once the chapa is moving, and small notes (20s and 50s) help because change for 500 MZN bills is hit-or-miss.
There is no official “airport line” and no timetable, just frequency. In daytime, you might see a chapa every 5–10 minutes heading toward central Maputo; after dark that can stretch past 20–30 minutes or stop altogether around 20:00–21:00. Safety is normal by local standards but basic: no seatbelts, open windows, and aggressive lane changes on EN1 as drivers try to shave a few minutes off a 25–35 minute run.
Tip: Swap at least 100–200 MZN at the airport and screenshot your guesthouse’s map with a cross street; show both to the conductor and be ready to hop off 200–300 meters before or after “your” landmark if they overshoot it.