“A Pathway to Our Future”: Electric Railways Take Over

Tanzania’s transport ambitions are becoming a reality with the opening of the country’s first railway service powered by electricity. This service will offer the population a faster, more affordable, and more comfortable way to travel from the commercial hub of Dar es Salaam to the capital of Dodoma.

President Samia Suluhu described the railway as “a pathway to our future” that would “enhance our standing in the region”.

The Standard Gauge Railway is a 2,560-kilometer train network destined to connect key cities and the neighbouring countries of Burundi, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The journey connecting Dar es Salaam and Dodoma takes four hours – half the time it takes by road – and the train hits a maximum of 120 km/h. Economy class trips cost $15, while business class trips cost $26. Funding came from the Tanzanian government and lenders – Denmark, Sweden, the Chinese Exim Bank, and the African Development Bank are among them.