Botswana
Trains in Botswana: tickets, passes and routes
For most safari trips, no: Botswana's passenger rail is a single overnight line between Gaborone and Francistown, plus a branch to Lobatse, and it does not reach Maun, Kasane, the Okavango Delta or Chobe. Take the train only if you want a cheap local ride on that corridor; everyone else should fly or drive. There is no national rail pass.
- Source checked
- A source and a date are on record: we read it from an official or published page. Not yet confirmed on the ground.
- Field checked
- Someone checked it on the ground, with the date shown.
- Plan calculated
- Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.
Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify
GuideBotswana
Key facts
- Is there a useful tourist train?
- No — the network is one corridor in the east, away from the safari areas
- Main passenger linecheck
- Gaborone – Francistown, overnight, with stops in between (check)
- Reaches Maun or Kasane?
- No. No rail line serves the Okavango Delta, Moremi, Chobe or Victoria Falls
- Rail passes
- No Botswana or regional rail pass; buy point-to-point tickets
- Operatorcheck
- Botswana Railways (national operator); passenger service frequency is limited (check)
- Typical fare
- Low local-currency fare, well under US$20 for the main line (2026 estimate)
- Booking window
- Buy on the day or a few days ahead; no long advance booking needed
- Best alternative
- Light aircraft between Maun and Kasane, or 4x4 and road transfers
Details
Botswana's railway was built to move freight, mainly copper, coal and goods, along the eastern side of the country. Passenger service runs on that same corridor: Gaborone in the south to Francistown in the north-east, with a branch to Lobatse near the South African border. Trains are slow, basic and cheap, and they are used mostly by Batswana travelling between towns, not by visitors.
The line does not go anywhere near the places most travellers come for. Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta, is roughly 600 km west of the rail corridor. Kasane, the gateway to Chobe, is further north still. There is no station at either, and no rail link onward to Victoria Falls. If your itinerary is Delta camps, Chobe and the falls, the train is not part of it.
If you are in Gaborone anyway, the overnight run to Francistown can be a cheap, plain way to cover ground and see a side of the country that safari itineraries skip. Treat it as transport, not as an attraction: expect hard seats or simple sleepers, limited food, and schedules that can slip. Confirm times and whether the service is running before you build a day around it.
For everything else, use the modes the country already runs on: light aircraft between Maun, Kasane and Gaborone, 4x4 self-drive or mobile safari for the parks, and road transfers for the Victoria Falls link. Those are covered in getting around Botswana.
Summary table
| Question | Answer | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Does rail reach the safari areas? | No | No line to Maun, Kasane, Okavango, Moremi or Chobe |
| Main passenger route | Gaborone – Francistown | Overnight, with intermediate stops (check) |
| Other passenger branch | Lobatse | Near the South African border |
| Rail pass | None | Point-to-point tickets only |
| Fare | Low, local currency | 2026 estimate; well under US$20 on the main line |
| Book ahead? | Not usually | On the day or a few days before |
| Frequency | Limited | Confirm before travelling (check) |
| Best for | Budget travel on the eastern corridor | Not for safari logistics |
Passenger timetables and fares change; verify with the operator before you travel (check).
Tips
- Do not plan a Maun or Kasane arrival around a train; there is no station there.
- If you take the Gaborone – Francistown line, book a sleeper or travel by day for the views, and carry your own water and snacks.
- Keep your passport with you: the corridor runs close to the South African border and you may pass checkpoints.
- Allow a full day of slack either side if the train connects to a flight or a camp transfer.
- For the Delta and Chobe, price light aircraft seats and road transfers instead — see getting around Botswana.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is the train a good way to get around Botswana?
Only on the eastern Gaborone – Francistown corridor, and mainly if you want cheap local transport. It does not reach Maun, Kasane, the Okavango Delta or Chobe, so for a safari trip fly or drive instead.
Do I need a rail pass for Botswana?
No. There is no Botswana rail pass and no regional pass covering the line. You buy a point-to-point ticket, usually on the day or a few days ahead.
How far in advance should I book trains in Botswana?
Passenger services are limited and rarely sell out far ahead, so buying on the day or a few days before is normally enough. Confirm the timetable first, since frequency can change (check).
Can I get from Gaborone to Maun by train?
No. The passenger line runs Gaborone – Francistown, with a branch to Lobatse. Maun is served by domestic flights and road, not rail.
Is there a train to Victoria Falls?
Not from Botswana. The standard link from Kasane to Victoria Falls is a road transfer of about 1–1.5 hours, with border time extra.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialBotswana Railways
- officialBotswana Tourism Organisation
- secondaryWikivoyage – Botswana