- The Dar-Dodoma SGR cuts travel time by more than half the time.
- Two Presidents and one former President aboard the maiden trip.
- Fast speed SGR expected to boost regional economic activities.
The launch of Tanzania’s SGR has ushered a new era across East Africa, where member countries are fast embracing electric train services to enhance transport and spur trade. This month, Tanzania became the latest of several other East African countries to invest in the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). President Samia Suluhu Hassan and Zanzibar President Hussein Mwinyi as well as former President Jakaya Kikwete officiated the launch of the commercial operation of the country’s first SGR.
This initial August launch of the SGR services will serve between the commercial port city of Dar es Salaam and the capital city Dodoma. Being the first electric train, it marks a new age for the Tanzanian transport sector.
“The new SGR electric train services signify a major leap forward in the country’s infrastructure, offering increased efficiency and connectivity,” commented President Samia.
Notably, the modern rail is revolutionizing travel in Tanzania by significantly cutting journey hours and in so doing boosting economic activities across all regions of the country.
For example, the trip between the two mentioned cities is up to eight hours by bus, but the fast speed rail cuts the travel time to only three hours and 25 minutes.
“This significant reduction of travel time will enhance economic activities by enabling faster movement of goods and people, thus promoting regional connectivity and economic integration,” she pointed out.
The country’s president was among a few hundred passengers that boarded the electric SGR.
A few, hours later, the second electric SGR commercial train carried Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi also from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma. “It is amazing, travel time with the electric SGR has cut the commute between these two major destinations by more than half,” President Hussein said.
He also announced that the government has ordered another 1,430 cargo wagons in an effort to enhance freight transportation from and to the port city of Dar es Salaam to and from upcountry regions and the neighboring landlocked countries, like Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Joining the other Heads of State in its maiden journey was Former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete who was on board the electric train from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro. The former president praised the comfort and efficiency of the service.
“I am very pleased to have travelled on this new train. It’s very comfortable. I deliberately chose to travel by train to see the progress we have made,” local media quotes the former president.
The former president said improved transport infrastructure will serve to attract investment to the country and facilitate trade growth. He said the SGR now gives Tanzania a more reliable means of travel for passengers and also a faster and secure means for freight.
“The enhanced rail connectivity could spur tourism and support local economies along the rail corridor,” Dr Kikwete pointed out.
He also noted that the SGR has a higher quantity capacity for transporting goods compared to road transport and is also cheaper and faster. “Its potential to boost economic activities is immense, especially when the railway extends across the country,” he said.
“The SGR and electric train services offer great benefits due to the shorter travel time, which facilitates various social and economic activities,” the former president concluded.
Tanzania’s SGR latest entrant in East Africa
With this launch of its SGR services, Tanzania has now joined several other countries in the East African region which are already enjoying the benefits of fast speed trains.
Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Rwanda are some of the countries in the EAC bloc that are already reaping the fruits of fast travel. For example, Kenya has been running its SGR services since 2017 when it launched its Madaraka Express.
The SGR services are so much touted in the region that Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni is quoted by local media admitting that; “Road cargo transport is a wrong method of transport.”
Across the border in Ethiopia you have the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway, a standard gauge international railway. This SGR in Ethiopia is the backbone of the new Ethiopian National Railway Network.
“The railway was inaugurated by Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn on January 1, 2018 and provides landlocked Ethiopia with access to the sea by linking Ethiopia’s capital of Addis Ababa with neighbouring Djibouti via its Port of Doraleh,” local media reported at the time.
Now, almost a decade later, more than 95 percent of Ethiopia’s trade runs through Djibouti, and accounts for 70 percent of all activity at the Port of Djibouti thanks to the SGR. “The total railway capacity is 24.9 million tonnes of freight annually, with 6 million tonnes expected to be transported annually as of 2023,” media reported.
Thanks to this growth in trade the Port of Doraleh is now undergoing expansion works to increase its annual cargo handling capacity from 6 to 14 million tonnes.
As of 2019, the Ethiopia SGR generates $40 million in both passenger and cargo revenue. However, unsupported critic claims maintain that this high revenue figure is actually considerably lower than the SGR operating cost of $70 million.
Read also: Tanzania’s e-waste crisis: Is the next Agbogbloshie emerging?
SGR Tanzania: The Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC)
SGR in Tanzania is overseeing by the Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) which has thus-far reported smooth operations of its initial service routes.
By definition, SGR, refers to a rail line system where the distance between its rails ranges from 1,420mm to 1,460mm. It is also much faster and capable of carrying more cargo, and is overall, more stable than the traditional metre gauge rail network whose track gauge is 1,000 mm (1 metre).
“The SGR can shoot to speeds of 200km/h, while the meter gauge can run at 110km/h with modifications,” explains TRC Director General Masanja Kadogosa.
According to the TRC, its initial services routes for the SGR are Dar es Salaam to Morogoro and the most recent route Dar es Salaam to Dodoma.
“We are proud of the smooth operations so far and we are dedicated to ensuring that the SGR service continues to meet the highest standards of efficiency and safety. Our focus remains on delivering a reliable service for all passengers,” TRC Director General Kadogosa told media.
“Safety measures advised by the SGR contractor, Yapi Merkezi, such as using designated crossings and avoiding electrified rail areas, are crucial for preventing accidents and ensuring the railway infrastructure’s longevity,” he noted.
