Rail services in Botswana are provided by Botswana Railways. Service takes place on the railway spine from the South African border, through Gaborone and Francistown, up to the Zimbabwean border with offshoot routes towards Sowa, Selebi-Phikwe, and Morupule. The railway network consists of 888 km of track; its gauge is 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) cape gauge.

Botswana is an associate member of the International Union of Railways (UIC). Botswana has the 93rd longest railway network in the world and it is one of the busiest railways in Africa.

History

1890 – 1900 In May 1893, the Bechuanaland Railway Company Limited was incorporated with a share capital of 6000 pounds with the aim of linking up with the Cape Government Railway in Vryburg and the town of Mafikeng (both in modern-day South Africa). The rail line was eventually completed in October 1894, and was subsequently extended north into modern-day Botswana. The first section of railway track in Botswana was laid in 1896; a full route spanning from Mafikeng to Palapye was completed in May 1897. A link between Palapye and Francistown was completed in September 1897, and the last kilometre of track on the line from Francistown to Bulawayo (in modern-day Zimbabwe) was completed in November 1897.

Mafeking (now Mafikeng) was then the rail-head and the administrative capital of the British Protectorate of Bechuanaland, now Botswana, even though Mafeking was geographically located in the Cape Colony. The town was the base for the construction of the railway through Botswana to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), part of the ambition of Cecil Rhodes for a Cape to Cairo railway. The section through Botswana was built to connect to Bulawayo in Zimbabwe, a route previously covered by horse-drawn stage-coaches. The first train arrived in Bulawayo on 19 October 1897. Citing: J Lunn, (1992). The Political Economy of Primary Railway Construction in the Rhodesias, 1890-1911, pp. 239, 244.S Katzenellenbogen, (1974). Zambia and Rhodesia: Prisoners of the Past: A Note on the History of Railway Politics in Central Africa, pp. 63-4.

On June 1, 1899, the Bechuanaland Railway was renamed the Rhodesia Railways Limited.

1900 – 1960 Originally, the Bechuanaland Railway line was operated by the Cape Government Railways, which was subsequently amalgamated into the South African Railways in 1910 and this operational arrangement continued until 1959.

At the end of 1959, the South African Railways purchased the section of the line existing within the Union of South Africa which was the line from Vryburg to Ramatlabama from Rhodesia Railways. Rhodesia Railways then took over the operation of the line from Bulawayo to Mahalapye, with Mahalapye to Mafikeng still being operated by South African Railways.

1960 – 1973 In 1963 the last conventional steam locomotive was used on the line and was replaced by the Garrat type steam locomotive.

On September 26, 1966, South African Railways and Rhodesia Railways agreed a hand over of all of the responsibility for the Bechuanaland Railway line to Rhodesia Railways, four days before Botswana became an independent country. Rhodesia Railways took over the operation of the line from Mahalapye to Mafikeng and thus became responsible for all rail throughout Botswana.

In 1973, Rhodesia Railways started using diesel-traction locomotives, marking an end to steam dominance in Botswana.

1974 - 1987 (Independent Botswanan Rail) In 1974, several branch lines were opened to commercial traffic. These lines were to Morupule Colliery and to Selebi-Phikwe, both financed by the government of Botswana in a state construction effort and the first section of rail independent of the Rhodesian Railways. Since Botswana had achieved independence in 1966, there was an effort to own and operate the Bechuanaland Railway railway within Botswana and so remove outside influence of the railways. However, Botswana had no rolling stock, skilled manpower, or necessary facilities to maintain and operate an independent railway system.

In 1974, the first President of Botswana, Sir Seretse Khama, announced the country's intention of taking over the Rhodesian Railways. Staff training for a new company was provided by other African railways including those in Malawi, Kenya, Swaziland and Rhodesia Railways itself (later to become National Railways of Zimbabwe). A training centre was set up in Francistown as part of this scheme.

During the 1980s there was several international efforts to help Botswana establish a national railway. The United Kingdom and Southern African Development Community (SADC) assisted in developing an overall takeover strategy. Some financing was provided by the Danish Government for technical assistance and the construction of the Mahalapye Locomotive and Wagon Workshops. The Swedish Government provided finance towards the new signaling and telecommunications system as well as sent construction and technical teams. The government of the People's Republic of China assisted with both financial and technical aid in the relaying of the mainline track with continuously welded rail on concrete sleepers.

In 1986, the Botswana Railways was established through an Act of Parliament. And on January 1, 1987, Botswana Railways (BR) began operation of the 641 km railway line when the government bought out the Botswana-based sections of the National Railways of Zimbabwe (a renamed Rhodesian Railways).

Post 1987 (Botswana Railways Era) In 1992, the Francistown to Sua Pan branch line began operation.

In 1994, Botswana Railways relocated its headquarters from the capital city, Gaborone to Mahalapye.

In 1999, the first citizen 'General Manager' was appointed head of Botswana Railways.

In 2014, Botswana's Dry Port in Walvis Bay (Sea Rail), Namibia started operating.

Management of the BR is supported by RITES Ltd. of India.

The opening of the Beitbridge Bulawayo Railway in Zimbabwe in 1999 resulted in a major drop in the volume of freight transit and income. Freight traffic fell from a reported 1.1 million tonnes in 1999 to only 150,000 tonnes in 2005. As a response the BR has been considering the construction of a direct line to Zambia (Zambia Railways), bypassing Zimbabwe, to regain income from transit.

Rail Network There is one mainline acting as the spine of the network, as well as three short branches. There is also an isolated stretch of track at the Zambian border at the Kazungula Bridge, which will be connected to the rest of the network when the Mosetse–Kazungula–Livingstone Railway is finished. +RouteStart locationEnd locationLengthStatusRail TypeReferenceMainlineSouth Africa BorderZimbabwe Border640 kmOperational50 kg/m continuous welded railFrancistown-Sua Pan RailwayFrancistownSua Pan174 kmOperational40 kg/m continuous welded railSerule-Selibe-Phikwe RailwaySeruleSelibe-Phikwe56 kmOperational40 kg/m continuous welded railPalapaye-Moruple RailwayPalapayeMorupule16 kmOperational40 kg/m continuous welded railMosetse–Kazungula–Livingstone RailwayKazungula BridgeZambia Border0.45 kmBuiltMosetse–Kazungula–Livingstone RailwayMosetseKazungula Bridge115 kmPlannedTrans-Kalahari RailwayMmamabula coalfieldsNamibia Border (extending to the Port of Walvis Bay)(Full route: 1100 km)PlannedMmamabula-Lephalale RailwayMmamabula coalfieldsSouth African border (extending to Lephalale in South Africa)(Full route: 113 km)PlannedPonta Techobanine Railway (Botswana-Zimbabwe-Mozambique Railway)Botswana interiorZimbabwe Border (extending to the Techobanine port in Mozambique)(Full route: 1700 km)Proposed

Rail links to adjacent countries

Zimbabwe The original purpose of railway construction in Botswana in the 1890s was to connect to what is modern-day Zimbabwe to South Africa. As such, after the independence from the United Kingdom in the 1960s, the Botswanan rail network already had established links to Zimbabwe, and both use the same gauge, Cape Gauge.

The current network has just one connection to Zimbabwe on the mainline going from Francistown to Bulawayo.

In 2010, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the presidents of Mozambique and Botswana on creating a new 1700 km railway through Zimbabwe, allowing for a faster link for all three nations to a new a deep-water port at Techobanine Point in Mozambique. Called the Ponta Techobanine Railway (also known as the Botswana-Zimbabwe-Mozambique Railway), this was reiterated by presidents of all three nations at a summit in 2024.

South Africa As with connections to Zimbabwe, the original purpose of the Bechuanaland Railway's construction was to link South Africa to central Africa. As a result, Botswana has had a physical rail connection since its colonial era, and has always been connected to South Africa since its independence.

As a result of being a previously united system, it shares the same gauge as South Africa, Cape Gauge.

In 2023, the Botswana and South Africa's state-owned rail companies signed an Expression of Interest for the Mmamabula-Lephalale Railway link, which would give another connection to South Africa's rail network to Botswana's large coal fields in Mmamabula. Furthermore, the link would also allow for a much faster connection from Botswana to South Africa's Richards Bay and Mozambique's Maputo port allowing for better exports.

Namibia There is no direct connection with Namibia, but one does exist via South Africa, although an electrified railway connecting to Lüderitz, Namibia for coal traffic is/was scheduled to open in 2006.

There is currently a planned route called the Trans-Kalahari Railway (TKR), which was first mentioned by both the Namibian and Botswanan governments back in 2014, but had been presumed abandoned until an Expression of Interest was signed in 2023. The route would be a 1,447-kilometer long extension, going from the Mmamabula coalfields situated north of Gaberone to the Port of Walvis Bay. The project was reiterated as being a top priority for the Botswanan government by President Mokgweetsi Eric Masisi in July 2024.

Mozambique In August 2010, Mozambique and Botswana signed a memorandum of understanding to develop an 1100 km railway through Zimbabwe, to carry coal from Serule in Botswana to a deep-water port at Techobanine Point in Mozambique. In 2024, the presidents of Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique met to reiterate their support of the Ponta Techobanine Railway (also known as the Botswana-Zimbabwe-Mozambique Railway) project.

Zambia A new rail link between Botswana and Zambia, bypassing Zimbabwe was mooted in 2005 by Botswana Railways (BR) general manager Andrew Lunga. The line was envisaged as running south-westwards from Livingstone, crossing the Zambesi, then continuing to a junction with the existing BR tracks at Mosetse. Lunga's proposal arose following the serious loss of traffic suffered by BR following the opening of the Beitbridge-Bulawayo line, after which annual BR freight tonnage fell from 1.1m per annum to about 150,000. Zimbabwe's economic problems had worsened the situation, prejudicing free traffic flow. The suggested line, Lunga pointed out, would provide important alternative routes linking South Africa, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In 2007, the project restarted with a joint announcement by Zambia and Botswana for the construction of the Kazungula Bridge which spans the Zambezi river and the border between the two countries. This was completed in 2021. The road connection has since been opened to the public, but the railway has since been left isolated, as development of Mosetse–Kazungula–Livingstone Railway is still underway.

Freight trains