Paper short abstract:

This paper discusses some of the more prevalent activities that take place in bus stations in Zambia, asking whether these are performed for benefiting travelers, or criminals.

Paper long abstract:

In Zambia, like in most countries in Africa, public road transport is the main form of motorized mobility. With this background in mind one can hardly mention travelers without mentioning bus stations, where most road travels are organized. This paper highlights some of the experiences travelers make at bus stations. It will discuss some of the economic and social activities that take place at bus stations, mentioning who does them, how, and why such activities take place there - while debating whether such activities do benefit the travelers or not. Finally, the paper will address the social space of bus stations with regard to issues of gender relations, crime and 'lawlessness'.