The national airline is Air Burkina (2J) (website: www.air.burkina.co). Other airlines serving Burkina Faso include Air Algérie, Air France and Air Ivoire. There are regular flights from Paris and Brussels to Ouagadougou.

There are no direct flights from the UK or the USA. To Ouagadougou from London (via Paris) is 8 hours 15 minutes; from New York (via Paris) is 12 hours 20 minutes.

Ouagadougou (OUA) is 8km (5 miles) from the city. To /from the airport: Taxi and bus services are available to the city. Facilities: Banks, post office, shops, restaurants and car hire. Borgo, 16km (10 miles) from Bobo Dioulasso, handles mainly domestic flights (see Travel – Internal).

US$13.

The only route is the international line from Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, running through to Ouagadougou. There are around three trains a week between the two capitals. The line has recently been taken over by a French company. Work is underway to extend the line from Ouagadougou to Tambao on the Mali border, but this project may have to be cancelled to meet foreign debt requirements.

Routes are from Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Niger and Togo, although these are often barely adequate. Regular bus services run during the dry season, from Bobo to Bamako in Mali, and from Ouagadougou to Niamey in Niger and to Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire. The road from Ghana is being improved. Bush taxis also serve most routes.

Borgo, 16km (10 miles) from Bobo Dioulasso, is the principal domestic airport. Flights run to Bamako, Bouake and Tambao on Air Burkina. Air taxis are available. Passenger and postal flights are also operated by Air Inter-Burkina.

There is a limited daily service from Ouagadougou and Bobo Dioulasso. Two classes are available, but can become overcrowded.

In general, roads are impassable during the rainy season (July to October). Police checkpoints are a common cause of delays. Traffic drives on the right. It is inadvisable to drive at night, as there are few street lights and some vehicles do not have headlights. Visitors should be aware that there have been recent incidents involving armed groups stopping vehicles to rob them in the north of the country (including the Gorom-Gorom to Djibo road in February 2004). Bus: Buses and vans are called cars in Burkina Faso. Regular bus services are operated in the dry season to all major towns and it is necessary to book at least 48 hours in advance. These buses are also cheap and plentiful. Taxi: Shared taxis are available in major centres; fares are negotiable. Car hire: Available from hotels in Ouagadougou. Car hire is still a recent phenomenon in Burkina Faso, and vehicles may be in poor condition. Visitors are therefore advised to lease cars for a day or two before committing themselves to a longer contract. Chauffeur-driven cars are also available. Documentation: A temporary licence to drive is available from local authorities on presentation of a valid national driving licence, but an International Driving Permit is recommended.