N1 (Accra–Cape Coast road)
Accra to Elmina by road
About 176 km west from Accra to Elmina on the N1, passing Kasoa and Cape Coast — usually 3 to 4½ hours, most of the delay at Kasoa.
- Distance
- 176 km
- By car
- 3–4½ hours
- Main road
- N1 (Accra–Cape Coast road)
Driving from Accra to Elmina
The first 160 km is the Accra–Cape Coast road: west on the N1 through Kasoa, then the junctions for Winneba and Apam and the market town of Mankessim, before dropping down into Cape Coast.
Elmina is the last short stretch, about 15 km further west along the coast. Kasoa, on the Central Region border about 30 km from Accra, is the main bottleneck of the whole trip: at rush hour it can take longer to get through than to drive the rest of the way.
Elmina is a small fishing town with a famous castle on the water's edge, so it is usually visited as a day trip from Cape Coast or as a stop on the way to Takoradi.
By bus or trotro
Buses, minibuses and trotros from Accra's Kaneshie station run to Cape Coast, and STC also runs coaches on the route. Check with the driver whether the vehicle will set you down at Elmina or in Cape Coast.
From Cape Coast, local transport covers the short distance to Elmina.
New to trotros? Read how to ride a trotro. Fares change often, so check at the station before you travel. For live directions — by car, bus, motorbike, bicycle or on foot — open Elmina on the Lincoln Navigation map. It shows road hazards other drivers have reported and the weather along the way.
Tips for the trip
- Time your trip to avoid Kasoa at rush hour: early morning or mid-morning is usually best leaving Accra.
- Mankessim is a good stop for fuel and snacks.
- Cape Coast Castle is only 15 km away, so the two castles combine easily into one day.