Tanzania’s Modern Railway Marks Milestone with 2.3 Million Passengers and Growing Demand
Speaking during the ‘One-on-On’, programme on Wasafi TV, The Director General of the Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC), Mr Masanja Kungu Kadogosa, announced that more than 2.3 million passengers have been transported on the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) since operations began on 14 June 2024 through to April 2025.
As of April 2025, TRC has transported over 2.3 million passengers, generating approximately TZS 66.8 billion in revenue across the Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, and Dodoma regions.
He further noted that demand for the rail service continues to grow steadily, prompting adjustments to the daily train schedules. These changes are aimed at increasing capacity and accommodating full-day operations between Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, and Dodoma.
Train services between Morogoro and Dar es Salaam now operate independently, with a dedicated train making two round trips per day, totalling four trips daily. Due to growing demand, TRC has increased the number of daily trains between Dar es Salaam and Dodoma to four, enabling eight trips per day (four outbound and four return).
Mr Kadogosa also highlighted the corporation’s effective response to technical challenges encountered during operations. He praised the engineering teams for their professionalism and swift interventions, ensuring safety and minimal disruptions.
It’s important to note that this is Tanzania’s first experience operating electric trains. Our young professionals are doing an exceptional job. In fact, across East and Central Africa, no other country has independently operated a high-speed electric rail service—yet we are managing operations ourselves.
He also provided a status update on the SGR construction project, noting that Phase 1 of the project consists of five segments:
- Dar es Salaam to Morogoro
- Morogoro to Makutupora (Singida)
- Makutupora to Tabora (15% complete)
- Tabora to Isaka (6.87% complete)
- Isaka to Mwanza (63% complete)
Phase 2 includes:
- Tabora to Kigoma (7.88% complete)
- Uvinza to Musongati (Burundi)
TRC continues to oversee the construction of remaining segments, ensuring timely completion as outlined in the SGR project contracts. Passenger operations on the Dar es Salaam–Mwanza route are expected to commence in 2027, with Tabora–Kigoma operations set to begin in 2028 following the project’s completion.
