There are no direct flights to Arusha from overseas. Most flights from overseas to Tanzania will land at terminal 3 of Dar es Salaam's Julius Nyerere international airport. From there you'll head over to Ubungo stage in Dar's city center to take a bus.
Important Bus Information
The most recommended bus service providers along this route are:
Kilimanjaro express
Dar es Salaam express
Kidia
Tahmeed coach
Ibra line.
Booking can be done either online or at the various service provider offices in Kisutu within Dar es Salaam's city center.
Bus trip duration: 12 hours
Earliest bus departs from Ubungo bus terminal to Arusha at 6.am.
There are no luxury buses, these buses are basically semi-luxury, they have no washrooms, air conditioning may or may not be working and seats are usually not very comfortable. For a better experience take VIP seats, these buses have 2 types of seats VIP and economy class seats.
Alternative route
Other travelers may choose to first arrive at Jomo Kenyatta international airport in Nairobi, Kenya then head over to Arusha by bus. It basically takes almost the same time as taking a bus from Dar.
From Nairobi you'll find buses that are heading to Arusha along River road in the city center, buses depart for Arusha between 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm via the Namanga border point where you'll have to stop for document checking and currency exchange.
NOTE: Whether going to Arusha through Dar or Nairobi, brace yourself for the weather change. As you move from either cities towards Arusha it becomes cooler so pack some heavy clothing.