Burkina Faso has one international railway line connecting the country with the largest city in Côte d’Ivoire – Abidjan and domestic line to Kaya with freight traffic only. Construction of the railway line started at the beginning of the 20th century from Abidjan. In 1933 the tracks were extended to Bobo-Dioulasso, a year later the local station was opened and regular train traffic was inaugurated.
Last update: 18.09.2026
In 1954, the railway line Abidjan – Ouagadougou was completed. An international train ran between the cities, famous for slow ride and old rolling stock. In the early 21st century, the connection was suspended several times due to the civil war in Côte d’Ivoire and the unstable political situation in Burkina Faso. For several years, the train route was shortened to Bobo-Dioulasso, later was resumed to Ouagadougou.
Ouagadougou-Kaya railway line, approximately 100 kilometers long, was built in the 1980s.
The international train Abidjan – Ouagadougu was suspended on 20 March 2020 due to coronavirus pandemic.
Train travel in Burkina Faso – current situation
Current situation about trains in Burkina Faso is unclear. The license for railway transport was withdrawn in 2024 and probably there are no passenger trains in Burkina Faso today.
Passengers and freight trains in Burkina Faso were operated by Sitarail.
Fanpage of Sitaral – up-to-date information about freight and passenger traffic
Faso Rail
Faso Rail is the proposed Burkina Faso–Ghana railway interconnection, intended to create a direct rail link between Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and the Port of Tema in Ghana. The project is particularly important for landlocked Burkina Faso because it would provide an additional route to an Atlantic seaport. The proposed railway is approximately 1,200 km long from Tema to Ouagadougou. It would be a major new international railway rather than simply an upgrade of the existing Ghanaian network. The main objective is to improve the movement of freight and passengers between Ghana and Burkina Faso, while strengthening the logistics connection between the port of Tema and the Sahel. The project could also eventually facilitate trade with other landlocked countries such as Mali and Niger. The project has its origins in an agreement between the governments of Ghana and Burkina Faso. A Joint Committee of Experts was established to coordinate the development of the railway.
In August 2025, Ghana and Burkina Faso held renewed high-level discussions specifically about developing the Ouagadougou–Tema railway connection, indicating that the project remains part of the two countries’ transport agenda.
Train travel in Burkina Faso – future
The following investments in Burkina Faso are planned in the future:
– upgrade Abidjan – Ouagadougou railway line
– extension of the Ouagadougou – Kaya railway line to Tambao at the junction of Burkina Faso’s borders with Mali and Niger. There are manganese mines in the Tambao area.
– construction of a railway line connecting Côte d’Ivoire with Niger and Benin.
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