Kazungula Border Post

The Kazungula Border Post, officially known as the Kazungula Bridge Border Post, is a modern, one-stop facility connecting Zambia and Botswana over the Zambezi River. Located near the town of Kazungula in Zambia, approximately 70 kilometers west of Livingstone, and Kasane/Kazungula in Botswana, it is a crucial gateway for trade and travel in Southern Africa. The border post operates daily from 6 AM to 10 PM, offering streamlined immigration and customs processing for both travelers and cargo.The centerpiece of the border post is the Kazungula Bridge, a 923-meter-long and 18.5-meter-wide cable-stayed bridge that opened on May 10, 2021. This impressive structure replaced the former Kazungula Ferry, significantly enhancing efficiency and safety for cross-border movements. The bridge features two traffic lanes, pedestrian walkways, and a single railway line, though the railway is currently unconnected. Its unique curved design was implemented to avoid encroaching on the nearby borders of Zimbabwe and Namibia, which, along with Zambia and Botswana, form a rare quadripoint where four countries' territories nearly meet. The construction of the bridge, a seven-year project overseen by South Korea's Daewoo E&C, was co-financed by the African Development Bank and the Japan International Co-operation Agency.The Kazungula Bridge Border Post has dramatically increased daily capacity, now handling between 140 and 250 trucks, a substantial improvement from the fewer than 40-50 trucks per day managed by the old ferry system. The facility includes fuelling stations and a weighbridge on the Zambian side, essential for commercial vehicles. Travelers and cargo transporters are required to present passports, vehicle registration, international driving permits, and for vehicles, a Police Clearance certificate and Interpol clearance. Various tolls and taxes apply, including a bridge toll, carbon tax, and road tolls based on vehicle weight. The surrounding Kazungula district in Zambia is also undergoing infrastructure development, with projects such as a district hospital, housing units, and educational facilities. The local economy is primarily driven by peasant/subsistence farming, cross-border trading, and fishing.