DAR ES SALAAM – Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan inaugurated the country’s first modern railway on Thursday, a $3.1 billion project constructed by Turkish firm Yapi Merkezi.
The 541-kilometer (336-mile) standard gauge railway connects Dar es Salaam to the capital, Dodoma, via Morogoro.
The new electric train services will slash travel time between Dar es Salaam and Dodoma from eight hours by road to 3.5 hours by train.
Capable of carrying 10,000 tons of cargo, equivalent to 500 trucks, the trains are poised to enhance connectivity between Tanzania and landlocked countries such as Burundi, Congo, and Rwanda.
Hassan highlighted the railway’s potential to generate employment, improve port operations, and boost both national and international trade.
The launch event saw participation from numerous government and private sector leaders, who traveled alongside Hassan from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma via the new electric train.
The service will initially operate on the first two sections of the network, spanning 722 kilometers (448 miles) of the planned 1,395-kilometer (866-mile) route, which will eventually extend to Mwanza city.
The Turkish embassy in Tanzania lauded the railway authorities and Yapi Merkezi, describing the project as a significant milestone in bilateral cooperation.
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