World Country Guide

Travel - International

Note
Although most visits to Botswana are trouble-free, there is, unfortunately, an increasing incidence of violent crime (on the street but also in the percentage of burglaries).

Air
The national airline is Air Botswana (BP) which only operates within Africa. The airline’s agent in the UK is British Airways (tel: (0845) 773 3377). There are no direct flights from London to Gaborone but regular connections can be made from Johannesburg, Windhoek, Harare and Victoria Falls. Other airlines serving Botswana include South African Airways.

Approximate flight times
From Gaborone to London is 15 hours (including stopovers).

Departure tax
None.

International airports
Sir Seretse Khama International (GBE) is 15km (9 miles) northwest of Gaborone. There are no regular bus services to and from the airport but several hotels run minibuses (combis). Taxis are available to the city centre (travel time – 15 minutes). Airport facilities include left luggage, bank (Barclays Bank available for all flights), bar, snack bar, restaurant, post office, shops and car hire (Avis and Imperial). There is a major airport at Kasane (north Botswana) and at Selebi-Phikwe, which take international flights.
Maun International Airport (MUB) receives direct flights from Johannesburg, Windhoek and Gaborone. This gateway to the Okavango Delta is served by Air Botswana, Air Namibia and several charters. For information on charters, see the Travel – Internal section.

River
A car ferry operates across the Zambezi River to Zambia.

Rail
There are good connections between South Africa and Botswana (Johannesburg–Mafikeng–Ramatlhabama–Gaborone) and Botswana and Zimbabwe (Gaborone–Francistown–Bulawayo–Harare). From Gaborone to Bulawayo takes 20 hours; passengers are advised to take their own food and drink as the buffet has a limited range. There are three classes, and sleeping compartments are available. First-class cars have comfortable reclining seats. Complicated formalities may be necessary for crossing the border from Zimbabwe and to or from South Africa, where the South African Customs Union agreement is in operation. Botswana has assisted in the construction of the Limpopo line from Zimbabwe to Mozambique, an act which will speed up the availability of alternative routes into Botswana. Other plans include extending the network into Namibia.

Road
There are reasonable roads running roughly along the same routes as the railway, linking Botswana with South Africa and Zimbabwe. There is also road access from Namibia. Bus: Services are available from Namibia and Zimbabwe. Frequent services also operate between Gabarone and Johannesburg.