Dar es Salaam commuter rail

Public transit system in Tanzania

Dar es Salaam commuter rail
Huduma ya Treni ya Jiji la Dar es Salaam (Swahili)

The TAZARA station.

Overview
Owner| Tanzanian Government
Locale| Railway Street, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Transit type| Commuter rail
Number of lines| 2
Number of stations| 23
Daily ridership| 16,000[1]
Website| www.mwtc.go.tz
Operation
Began operation| 29 October 2012
Operator(s)| TAZARA
Tanzania Railways
Technical
System length| 32 km (20 mi)[2]
Track gauge| 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
Electrification| 1,500 V DC overhead catenary (planned)

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* t
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TRC Line

Legend

|  |  |

|
|
|
|

|  |

| Pugu
|  |

3.32

| Gongo la Mboto
|  |

5.51

| FFU Mombasa
|  |

7.31

| Banana
|  |

9.41

| Karakata (Airport)
|  |

11.31

| Vingunguti Mbuzi
|  |

14.31

| SS Bakhresa
|  |

|  |

Nelson Mandela Expressway

|  |

|  |

Kawawa Road

|  |

17.80

| Kamata
|  |

19.95

| Central Railway Station
|  |  |  |  |  |

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TAZARA Line

Legend

|  |  |

|  | TAZARA Station

|
|
|
|

|  |

|  | Kwa Fundi Umeme
|  |

|  |
Kwa Limboa  |  |

|  | Yombo
Lumo Kigilagila  |  |

|  | Chimwaga
Sigara  |  |

|  | Maputo
Kitunda Road  |  |

|  | Mtoni Relini
Kipunguni B  |  |

|  | Kwa Aziz Ali Relini
Majohe  |  |

|  | Kurasini
Magnus  |  |

|  |
Mwakanga  |  |

|  |
|  |  |  |  |  |

The Dar es Salaam commuter rail, informally known as Treni ya Mwakyembe ("Train of Mwakyembe"), is an urban and suburban commuter rail network serving the Tanzanian commercial city of Dar es Salaam.[3] It is one of the two initiatives taken by the government to ease travel within the congested city; the other being the Dar es Salaam bus rapid transit system. Services are provided by the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) and the Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC).

## History

[edit]

### Background

[edit]

Prior to its launch, the Dala dala was the only major means of intracity public transport.

### Launch

[edit]

The inaugural journey commenced on 29 October 2012.[4][5] The public affectionately refer to it as Treni ya Mwakyembe in honour of Harrison Mwakyembe, the Transport Minister at the time.[6]

The Citizen reported in January 2013 that 'Zambia was opposed' to the project utilising the TAZARA track and that it wasn't 'properly consulted'. Zambian officials insisted that the matter ought to have been brought before the board of directors for approval as both the governments are equal shareholders.[7] Minister Mwakyembe refuted these allegations saying all procedures were adhered to. An anonymous TAZARA board member commented that they had failed to convene their quarterly meeting for the past six months.[8]

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport presented an award to Mwakyembe in December 2013 for introducing this service.[9]

The TRC Line launched on 1 August 2016, plying the airport route 3 times in the morning from 6 am and 3 times in the evening from 15.55 hours.

## Routes

[edit]

### TRC line

[edit]

TRC (1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)) operates a 20.0 km (12.4 mi) track from Pugu Station to the city centre via Gongo la Mboto, FFU mombasa, Banana, Karakata (Airport), Vingunguti Mbuzi, SS Bakhresa, Kamata (Kariakoo City BRT station) then finally Central.[10]

### TAZARA line

[edit]

TAZARA (1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)) offers two routes on its 20.5 km (12.7 mi) rail network.[11] The first from its station in Dar es Salaam to Mwakanga which lies on the outskirts of the city. It stops at Kwa Fundi Umeme, Kwa Limboa, Lumo Kigilagila, Sigara, Kitunda road, Kipunguni B, Majohe and Magnus. The second service runs from its Dar es Salaam station to Kurasini via Kwa Fundi Umeme, Yombo, Chimwaga, Maputo, Mtoni Relini and Kwa Aziz Ali Relini.[12]

## Operations

[edit]

The service is available during the morning and evening rush hours throughout the week (excluding Sundays and public holidays).

### Ticket pricing

[edit]

TRC and TAZARA had proposed a fare of Tsh 800 (US$0.50) and 700 respectively for a single journey.[13]

### Finance

[edit]

As of November 2013, the TRC line has been operating at a loss. It costs Tsh 4 million per day to run, whereas revenue from ticket sales stands at Tsh 2 million.[14] The high operating cost has been attributed to the engines and wagons which aren't cost efficient for short journeys.[15]

### Future expansion

[edit]

In December 2019, TRC completed a feasibility study for 6 new railway routes within the network.[16] Route A would link the Mikocheni, Mwenge, Ubungo, and Mtoni wards. Route B would link the Central Business District with Pugu and Karakata (Airport). Route C would connect Mwenge with Wazo Hill and Bagamoyo. Route D would circle the city, linking Vikindu Charambe with Kibiha. Route E would stop at several places, starting in Mtoni and ending in Mwenge. Route F links the Central Business District to Kigamboni.

## Incidents

[edit]

* On 26 January 2015 a train on the TAZARA line went astray onto the wrong track, and narrowly avoided colliding with another locomotive engine.[17]
* On 17 October 2023 a passenger train on the TAZARA line collided head-on with a cargo train, injuring 62 people.[18]

## See also

[edit]

* Railway stations in Tanzania

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Start of Dar Commuter train". pesatimes.com. 29 October 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
2. ^ MUCHIRA, JOHN (22 June 2012). "Tanzania moves to revive Dar commuter rail service". engineeringnews.co.za. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
3. ^ "Dar es Salaam launches first commuter trains". BBC News. 29 October 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
4. ^ Mwachang`A, Devota (30 October 2012). "Dar residents happy with commuter train services". IPP Media. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
5. ^ Mtweve, Sturmius (29 October 2012). "… Most residents were unaware". The Citizen (Tanzania). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
6. ^ Masha, Marycelina (29 October 2012). "Dar commuter trains easing transport nightmares". Daily News (Tanzania). Archived from the original on 4 December 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
7. ^ Kolumbia, Louis (7 January 2013). "Zambia feels cheated on commuter project". The Citizen. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
8. ^ "Minister: Tazara commuter rail services proper". The Citizen. 17 January 2013. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
9. ^ "Mwakyembe wins prize for train services". The Citizen. 21 December 2013. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
10. ^ PETER, FELISTER (2 October 2012). "Dar commuter train service set to begin mid this month". IPP Media. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
11. ^ Kolumbia, Louis (29 October 2012). "Dar train services begin". The Citizen (Tanzania). Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
12. ^ KAZOKA, LUDOVICK (27 October 2012). "Dar Commuter Train Starts on Monday". Retrieved 4 December 2013.
13. ^ RUGONZIBWA, PIUS (29 October 2012). "Views On Dar es Salaam Train Fares Halted". Daily News (Tanzania). Retrieved 4 December 2013.
14. ^ Nachilongo, Hellen (11 November 2013). "A train ride worth Sh2m loss". Archived from the original on 17 November 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
15. ^ wa Nyoka, Kiangiosekazi (20 July 2013). "Machiavellian way of doing things". Daily News (Tanzania). Archived from the original on 26 September 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
16. ^ "TRC eyes six commuter railway networks in Dar". The Citizen. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
17. ^ Joel, Lawi (27 January 2015). "Narrow save as Mwakyembe train runs on wrong track". Daily News. Archived from the original on 27 January 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
18. ^ "62 injured after trains collide head-on in Dar". IPP Media. 21 October 2023. Archived from the original on 14 April 2024. Retrieved 14 April 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Video on YouTube
* When I missed the train, by Lawi Joel, Daily News.

6°48′59″S 39°16′00″E﻿ / ﻿6.81629°S 39.266651°E﻿ / -6.81629; 39.266651

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