This significant infrastructure development marks a crucial step in the country’s broader railway modernization plan.
The 440-kilometer electric railway line is part of a larger initiative to construct over 2,500 kilometers of new tracks, replacing the outdated narrow-gauge network inherited from the colonial era. A previous 200-kilometer section to Morogoro was launched in June.
The new train service, equipped with Wi-Fi and air conditioning, will cut travel time between the two cities to approximately three and a half hours, a significant reduction from the previous coach journey. Daily services are set to commence.
The project, undertaken in partnership with Turkish construction firms and South Korean train manufacturer Hyundai Rotem, is a cornerstone of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s development agenda. Professor Abel Kinyondo of the University of Dar es Salaam hailed the railway as an environmentally friendly mode of transport, contributing to the country’s sustainability goals.
This ambitious infrastructure project is expected to boost economic growth, improve connectivity, and enhance Tanzania’s position as a regional transport hub.
fss/abj/APA with AFP