Gaborone - Post Report Question and Answers
Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
Affordable, yes. Safe...depends on your definition of safe. If you need a driver, there are people who can help. - Aug 2024
Public transportation is not safe or advisable. It is largely in the form of overcrowded minibuses (kombis) or dilapidated taxis. Gaborone desperately needs a reliable car service like Uber. The few reliable drivers are independent contractors who re oversubscribed and their cars are sometimes in questionable condition. - Dec 2023
Use a personal driver. It is cheap and a lot easier. The CLO has a list of people. - Jul 2019
Affordable, yes. Safe, no. Long-distance buses are frequently involved in major accidents. Minibuses around town are overcrowded, and not well maintained. The drivers are distracted with collecting money and scanning the roadsides for additional passengers. - Apr 2017
Local busses are crowded and probably not too safe. Calling cabs is safe, hailing not terrible but not great. Everything is affordable here, including car hire. - Jul 2016
No. RSO prohibits use of local transport. - Mar 2015
There are no trains. There are "combies" (really small vans) and taxis here, but people usually have their own car. - Oct 2014
My Batswana friends use the buses regularly, going from Gaborone to Francistown; Gaborone to Kasane; Gaborone to Francistown. They also use taxis regularly. I would not recommend regular use of combis. Most people I know that didnt have private cars, had a regular taxi driver whom they called for transport. - Nov 2013
No. There are no passenger trains or city buses, only combis (public vans) and taxis. We are restricted from riding in combis because of rampant tuberculosis. The way people drive here, it would also be very unwise to ride in one. - Jul 2013
We used taxis a lot. I found them affordable and safe. - Apr 2013
There is no train service, but buses, combis and taxis are absolutely accessible. - Jun 2010
