Travel · Official advice · 20 October 2026
FCDO updates Mauritania travel advice with new train risks
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has announced updated guidance for Mauritania, adding new information on the risks of travelling on the iron ore train. The department advises against all travel to specific border regions and notes that insurance may be invalidated if advice is ignored.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has published updated travel advice for Mauritania. The new guidance includes specific information regarding the risks associated with travelling on the iron ore train. This addition forms part of a broader review of safety considerations for visitors to the country.
Travel restrictions remain in place for several areas. The department advises against all travel to areas east of the 10th Meridian West in Eastern Mauritania. It also advises against all travel to areas within 25km of the Malian border in the south. In the west, all but essential travel is advised against within 25km of the Western Sahara border, with specific exclusions noted in the guidance. The 18° 40° latitude line is also used to define exclusion areas.
British nationals in Mauritania should contact the British Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, for support, as the embassy in Nouakchott cannot provide consular services in person. Travellers are advised to avoid all demonstrations and larger gatherings due to periodic protests. Travel insurance may be invalidated if a person travels against the advice provided by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
Written by StreetOwl from Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s own announcement. It was drafted by StreetOwl’s own model, every figure and quotation was checked by code against the announcement, and it was read and approved by Michael Rossi before it went up. It says what was announced, not what anyone should do about it.
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