Trans-Gabon Railway
A single line running 669 kilometres from the coast to Franceville through the forest.
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The Trans-Gabon railway runs 669 kilometres from Owendo on the coast near Libreville through the forest to Franceville in the southeast, built between 1974 and 1986 at enormous cost during the oil boom, largely to move manganese and timber. Passenger services run several times a week and take most of a day and a night, passing through Lopé National Park where the forest opens into savanna and animals are sometimes visible from the window.
What you actually see
- The forest crossing - 669 kilometres through equatorial woodland to the interior.
- The Lopé section - the stretch through the park where forest opens to savanna.
- The freight traffic - the manganese and timber trains the line was built for.
- The overnight journey - most of a day and a night between the endpoints.
When to go
June to September is the drier season. Services run several times a week rather than daily. Delays of many hours are routine.
Honest expectations
Delays are routine and can run to many hours or a full day. Rolling stock is worn and air conditioning is unreliable. Booking is done in person and sells out.
Nearby
Lopé National Park is on the line, and Franceville is the eastern end.
What to pack for Trans-Gabon Railway
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.