Lae Getting there & around

Getting there & away

Lae is the best-connected city in PNG.

Boat

As the busiest port in the country, Lae is the best place in PNG from which to sail off into the sunset. Banana boats (speed boats) run northeast as far as Finschhafen (K50) and occasionally as far south as Popondetta: this trip takes two days, overnighting in Morobe Station. All banana boats leave Lae from Aigris Market (not wharf) at Voco Point.

Virtually all the Madang-bound boats call at Finschhafen but the most reliable passenger service is operated by Harbor Star Shipping (472 2993; IPI Bldg, 2nd St).

Lutheran Shipping (Luship; 472 2066; fax 472 5806; Butibum Rd, Voco Point) has three boats servicing the Morobe Coast. Some of the villages frequented by these vessels are Buki, Maneba, Lablab, Gassam and Wasu. Luship publishes a largely fictitious schedule at the beginning of each month.

A Luship boat sails to Lorengau (deck/cabin class K140/250, 48 hours) once a week (often on Friday), and there should be one boat a week to Madang (24 hours). The Mamose Express makes a weekly run to Kimbe (deck/cabin class K110/185, 24 hours).

Rabaul Shipping (Star Ships; 472 5699; Joey St) sails to Rabaul (deck/cabin class K220/300, 40 hours) via Kimbe on Mondays and Fridays. It also runs an on-again, off-again boat to Popondetta.

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Air

Several airlines fly out of Lae’s Nadzab Airport, and most have offices at the airport and in town. Only Air Niugini offers discounts on return tickets. Airlink was a major player in these parts and left quite a gap after its closure in 2007. It may be reborn under a new identity. Airlines flying into Lae include:

Air Niugini Town (472 1892; Markham Rd) Nadzab (475 3055)

Airlines PNG Nadzab (475 3147)

MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship; Town472 1555; INI Bldg, 2nd St; Nadzab 472 3104) Flies to remote Highland stations and small airstrips west of Lae.

North Coast Aviation Town (472 1755; norco@global.com.pg; Markham Rd) Nadzab (475 3006) Mainly services the Morobe, Gulf and West New Britain Provinces.

Air Niugini has direct flights from Lae to Port Moresby (K380, 45 minutes) several times daily, and to Madang (K293, 35 minutes) and onto Wewak (K548) every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. To the islands, it flies to Manus (K494, one hour, Monday) and Hoskins (for Kimbe, K442, 55 minutes), Rabaul (K597, two hours), Kavieng (K716, three hours) and Bougainville (K889) every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. For all other destinations you’ll have to go to Port Moresby first.

Airlines PNG has daily (except Sunday) services to Port Moresby (K380, 50 minutes), and flights to Mt Hagen (K349) and Tabubil (K872) on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

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