Francistown: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Francistown is a city of 103,417 people in Botswana (City of Francistown), 989 m (3,245 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Phillip Gaonwe Matante International Airport (FRW), 4 km (2 mi) from the centre.
Key facts
Open Francistown in Google Maps
Daylight in Francistown runs from about 10 h 53 min a day in late June to 13 h 28 min in late December (computed for -21.17° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Francistown is served by one airport with scheduled flights. The closest large one is Phillip Gaonwe Matante International Airport (FRW), 4 km (2 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 9,843 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft.
Flights to Francistown: every airport, routes and times
Buses to Francistown · Driving and car hire
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Bulawayo, 159 km (Zimbabwe) — flights
- Polokwane, 365 km (South Africa)
- Gweru, 307 km (Zimbabwe)
- Kwekwe, 347 km (Zimbabwe)
- Thohoyandou, 365 km (South Africa)
- Mokopane, 370 km (South Africa)
Twin towns and sister cities: Genk.
Common questions
Which airport serves Francistown?
Phillip Gaonwe Matante International Airport (FRW), 4 km (2 mi) from the centre.
How big is Francistown?
About 103,417 people live in Francistown (GeoNames).
What time zone is Francistown in?
Africa/Gaborone, currently UTC+2.
What currency is used in Francistown?
The Pula (BWP). Traffic drives on the left.
Which cities are near Francistown?
Bulawayo (159 km), Polokwane (365 km), Gweru (307 km), Kwekwe (347 km), Thohoyandou (365 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.