Like Rwanda, there are no railways in Burundi. Plans have been under consideration since 1987 for the construction of a line passing through Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, to connect with the Kigoma-Dar es Salaam line in Tanzania. This rail link would relieve Burundi’s isolated trade position.

Lake Tanganyika is a crucial component in Burundi’s transport system since most of the country’s external trade is conducted along the lake between Bujumbura, Tanzania and the DRC.

Bujumbura is the principal port for both passenger and freight traffic on Lake Tanganyika, and the greater part of Burundi’s external trade is dependent on the shipping services between Bujumbura and lake ports in Tanzania, Zambia and the DRC.

The international airport at Bujumbura is equipped to take large jet aircraft. The network of roads is dense, but few of the 12 322 km of routes are paved, and these are the roads that connect Bujumbura with Gitega, Kayanza and Nyanza-Lac.