By air. Bamako-Sénou International Airport (BKO) is 15 km south of the city centre. Air France, Royal Air Maroc, Ethiopian Airlines, and Turkish Airlines all serve Bamako with connections through Casablanca, Addis Ababa, and Istanbul respectively. Taxi from the airport to the city centre takes 30–45 minutes and costs around 5,000–8,000 CFA; negotiate before getting in.
By road from neighbouring countries. Bush taxis and shared minibuses connect Bamako to Dakar (Senegal), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), and Conakry (Guinea). These are long journeys — Dakar is 1,200 km and typically takes two days with a night stop in Tambacounda or Kayes. Road conditions vary considerably.
By train. The historic Bamako–Dakar railway (the old Dakar-Niger line) has historically offered a much-romanticised but deeply unreliable passenger service. At the time of writing, passenger services are suspended. Check current status before planning around this option.
Note on security. Travel to northern and central Mali is subject to serious security restrictions due to ongoing armed conflict and terrorist activity. Check your government's current travel advisory before making plans. Most visitors arrive by air and confine their travels to the south.