diff --git a/autotest/pymod/gdaltest.py b/autotest/pymod/gdaltest.py
index 417a0768181e..e02254740f9d 100755
--- a/autotest/pymod/gdaltest.py
+++ b/autotest/pymod/gdaltest.py
@@ -2102,87 +2102,8 @@ def reopen(ds, update=False, open_options=None):
     )
 
 
-# VSIFile helper class
-
-
-class VSIFile:
-    def __init__(self, path, mode, encoding="utf-8"):
-        self._path = path
-        self._mode = mode
-
-        self._binary = "b" in mode
-        self._encoding = encoding
-
-        self._fp = gdal.VSIFOpenExL(self._path, self._mode, True)
-        if self._fp is None:
-            raise OSError(gdal.VSIGetLastErrorMsg())
-
-        self._closed = False
-
-    def __enter__(self):
-        return self
-
-    def __exit__(self, *args):
-        self.close()
-
-    def __iter__(self):
-        return self
-
-    def __next__(self):
-        line = gdal.CPLReadLineL(self._fp)
-        if line is None:
-            raise StopIteration
-        if self._binary:
-            return line.encode()
-        return line
-
-    def close(self):
-        if self._closed:
-            return
-
-        self._closed = True
-        gdal.VSIFCloseL(self._fp)
-
-    def read(self, size=-1):
-        if size == -1:
-            pos = self.tell()
-            self.seek(0, 2)
-            size = self.tell()
-            self.seek(pos)
-
-        raw = gdal.VSIFReadL(1, size, self._fp)
-
-        if self._binary:
-            return bytes(raw)
-        else:
-            return raw.decode(self._encoding)
-
-    def write(self, x):
-
-        if self._binary:
-            assert type(x) in (bytes, bytearray, memoryview)
-        else:
-            assert type(x) is str
-            x = x.encode(self._encoding)
-
-        planned_write = len(x)
-        actual_write = gdal.VSIFWriteL(x, 1, planned_write, self._fp)
-
-        if planned_write != actual_write:
-            raise OSError(
-                f"Expected to write {planned_write} bytes but {actual_write} were written"
-            )
-
-    def seek(self, offset, whence=0):
-        if gdal.VSIFSeekL(self._fp, offset, whence) != 0:
-            raise OSError(gdal.VSIGetLastErrorMsg())
-
-    def tell(self):
-        return gdal.VSIFTellL(self._fp)
-
-
 def vsi_open(path, mode="r"):
-    return VSIFile(path, mode)
+    return gdal.VSIFile(path, mode)
 
 
 def vrt_has_open_support():
diff --git a/doc/source/spelling_wordlist.txt b/doc/source/spelling_wordlist.txt
index 77d3e4e14e6c..4c4ea2d861af 100644
--- a/doc/source/spelling_wordlist.txt
+++ b/doc/source/spelling_wordlist.txt
@@ -3455,6 +3455,7 @@ vsiaz
 vsicached
 vsicrypt
 vsicurl
+VSIFile
 VSIFOpen
 vsigs
 vsigz
diff --git a/swig/include/python/gdal_python.i b/swig/include/python/gdal_python.i
index 902aa5d6bf50..d6354b63a47e 100644
--- a/swig/include/python/gdal_python.i
+++ b/swig/include/python/gdal_python.i
@@ -5012,3 +5012,102 @@ def InterpolateAtPoint(self, *args, **kwargs):
     else:
         return ret[1]
 %}
+
+%pythoncode %{
+
+# VSIFile: Copyright (c) 2024, Dan Baston <dbaston at gmail.com>
+
+from io import BytesIO
+
+class VSIFile(BytesIO):
+    """Class wrapping a GDAL VSILFILE instance as a Python BytesIO instance
+
+       :since: GDAL 3.11
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, path, mode, encoding="utf-8"):
+        self._path = path
+        self._mode = mode
+
+        self._binary = "b" in mode
+        self._encoding = encoding
+
+        self._fp = VSIFOpenExL(self._path, self._mode, True)
+        if self._fp is None:
+            raise OSError(VSIGetLastErrorMsg())
+
+        self._closed = False
+
+    def __enter__(self):
+        return self
+
+    def __exit__(self, *args):
+        self.close()
+
+    def __iter__(self):
+        return self
+
+    def __next__(self):
+        line = CPLReadLineL(self._fp)
+        if line is None:
+            raise StopIteration
+        if self._binary:
+            return line.encode()
+        return line
+
+    def close(self):
+        if self._closed:
+            return
+
+        self._closed = True
+        VSIFCloseL(self._fp)
+
+    def read(self, size=-1):
+        if size == -1:
+            pos = self.tell()
+            self.seek(0, 2)
+            size = self.tell()
+            self.seek(pos)
+
+        raw = VSIFReadL(1, size, self._fp)
+
+        if self._binary:
+            return bytes(raw)
+        else:
+            return raw.decode(self._encoding)
+
+    def write(self, x):
+
+        if self._binary:
+            assert type(x) in (bytes, bytearray, memoryview)
+        else:
+            assert type(x) is str
+            x = x.encode(self._encoding)
+
+        planned_write = len(x)
+        actual_write = VSIFWriteL(x, 1, planned_write, self._fp)
+
+        if planned_write != actual_write:
+            raise OSError(
+                f"Expected to write {planned_write} bytes but {actual_write} were written"
+            )
+
+    def seek(self, offset, whence=0):
+        # We redefine the docstring since otherwise breathe would complain on the one coming from BytesIO.seek()
+        """Change stream position.
+
+           Seek to byte offset pos relative to position indicated by whence:
+
+           - 0: Start of stream (the default).  pos should be >= 0;
+           - 1: Current position - pos may be negative;
+           - 2: End of stream - pos usually negative.
+
+           Returns the new absolute position.
+        """
+
+        if VSIFSeekL(self._fp, offset, whence) != 0:
+            raise OSError(VSIGetLastErrorMsg())
+
+    def tell(self):
+        return VSIFTellL(self._fp)
+%}