NO MORE CROSS BORDER PASSENGER TRAFFIC ON TAZARA
(Posted 23rd August 2014)
News are emerging from Dar es Salaam that the management of TAZARA Railway, the Chinese built railways system linking Tanzania’s main port city with Zambia, will halt cross border passenger operations in a few days time.
Effective next week will the passenger trains only go as far as the Nakonde border post and then turn back after taking new travelers on board.
This change will apparently apply for both countries as trains on the Zambian side of the railway too will only take passengers from Kapiri-Mposhi to the border where they need to cross individually and then board another train.
Travelers who had planned to explore the two African countries and use the rail journey are made aware that departures from the two main railheads in Dar and Kapiri-Mposhi are now only taking place on Tuesdays and Fridays while the respective return journeys leave the Nakonde border post on Wednesdays and Saturdays, allowing for connectivity both ways.
No explanation was provided why the passenger trains would no longer cross the borders, and if operational or security reasons were the main driver behind the decision, but there has been talk from the Tanzanian operation of the railway that the two countries should assume responsibility of the track and trains in their respective countries, which would be a radical departure from the joint management and operation of the railway.
For now though it was confirmed that cargo trains will continue to cross the border at Nakonde covering the entire length of the track from port to the railhead in Kapiri-Mposhi.
For added information about the TAZARA railway click on http://www.tazarasite.com/
