Banfora is on the main rail line and the main road between Ouagadougou and Abidjan — most travellers come either by train from Ouagadougou (around 8 hours) or by bus from Bobo-Dioulasso (about 90 minutes on a good day). Sitarail still runs a slow service between Ouaga and Abidjan that stops in Banfora; check current schedules in town, as the line is sometimes interrupted.
Buses leave Bobo-Dioulasso for Banfora roughly every hour from the main gare routière. Several companies (TCV, Rakieta, STAF) cover the route. The fare is a few thousand CFA. Bush taxis are an option but slower and less comfortable.
Banfora has a small airstrip but no scheduled flights. The nearest international airport is Bobo-Dioulasso, with onward connections via Ouagadougou.