Most travelers arrive by air through Ouagadougou's Thomas Sankara International Airport (OUA), the country's only significant international gateway. Direct flights connect to Paris (Air France), Brussels (Brussels Airlines), Istanbul (Turkish Airlines), Abidjan, Dakar, and other West African capitals. There are no direct flights from the UK or North America — you will connect through Paris, Istanbul, or a West African hub like Accra or Abidjan.
Bobo-Dioulasso has an airport (BOY) but handles mainly domestic and limited regional flights. It is not a practical entry point for most international travelers.
Overland from Ghana is the most popular land route. Regular buses run from Accra and Kumasi to Ouagadougou via the Po border crossing. The road is paved and in reasonable shape. The journey from Accra takes around 18-20 hours.
From Ivory Coast, buses run from Abidjan to Ouagadougou and to Bobo-Dioulasso. The Abidjan-Ouagadougou route is long (roughly 24 hours by bus) but well-served by multiple companies. The old railway line between Abidjan and Ouagadougou, once a classic West African journey, has been intermittent — check locally whether services are running.
From Mali, buses connect Bamako to Bobo-Dioulasso and Ouagadougou, though security along the Malian border has been a serious concern in recent years. Check current conditions carefully before attempting this crossing.
From Niger, buses link Niamey to Ouagadougou. The road is paved and the journey takes roughly 10-12 hours.
From Togo and Benin, connections are less frequent but available, usually routing through Lome or Cotonou to Ouagadougou.
Visas are required for most nationalities. Citizens of ECOWAS countries can enter freely. An e-visa system is available for many other nationalities through visaburkina.bf. Apply before traveling — visa on arrival is possible but more expensive and not guaranteed to go smoothly.