Basilio Lukanga/BBCShaped and colored like the country’s rare gem, tanzanite, Dar es Salaam’s gleaming new rail terminal is a symbol of Tanzania's transport ambitions.
The glass panels sparkle in the sun and look like oversized versions of prismatic blue-purple gemstones that sparkle in the light.
The electric-powered train, the first of its kind in the region, will transport passengers from the commercial center to the capital, Dodoma, in less than four hours. This is half the time it would take on the road.
This is one of the country’s strategic projects, the construction of a 2,560 km (1,590 mile) standard gauge railway (SGR) aimed at connecting major cities and with neighboring Burundi, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is the starting point.
The 460-kilometer (285-mile) stretch from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma has been open since August, when President Samia Suluhu described the railway as a “road to our future” that would “enhance our standing in the region”. are.
Dodoma’s train station is another grand building that resembles the city’s surrounding rocky hills, an effort to blend modernity with the country’s natural heritage.
It is a reluctant capital. The city in the middle of the country was first designated as the center of power 50 years ago, but it took the strong-willed late president John Magufuli to force the transfer of government offices.
However, as most commercial activities, and even some government activities, continue in Dar es Salaam, fast and efficient transport links between the cities are considered essential.
Trains have made travel smooth and convenient for ordinary Tanzanians. It’s very different from the experience on the road and the old, slow and narrow trains that this service replaces.
The seats in the vehicle are clean, comfortable, and recline. Each comes with a foldable tray table. Crew members will be on hand to sell hot and cold drinks and snacks.
Tanzania Railway Co., Ltd.
The Dar es Salaam terminal is designed with the image of the gemstone tanzanite in mind.
In economy class, there are five seats in each row, three on one side of the aisle and two on the other. Business Class and Luxury (Royal) Class have two seats on either side of the row, offering more comfort and more legroom.
“We are grateful. We are not tired,” Gloria Sebastian, who lives in Dar es Salaam, told the BBC during a trip to visit family in Dodoma. She is satisfied with the convenience of the train.
And she’s not alone.
The line carries at least 7,000 passengers on eight daily flights and is already nearing capacity, according to the man overseeing the construction and operation of the SGR service.
Matibiya Masanja told the BBC that demand is so high that “we can’t cover it with just one trip per day. We expect the number[of passengers]to double or triple.” Plans are underway to add more itineraries.
Due to its popularity, the service may book up several days in advance, so advance planning is essential.
To reserve your seat, payment must be made within 1 hour of booking. Economy class to Dodoma costs around 40,000 Tanzanian shillings ($15, £11), while business class costs 70,000 shillings ($26).
Early morning flights depart from Dar es Salaam at 06:00, but you must arrive 2 hours early for security checks.
The interior of the tanzanite-shaped building is reminiscent of an airport terminal. Passengers line up and undergo thorough screening, just like at an airport. Baggage is scanned before accessing the boarding lounge, which can sometimes cause people to panic.
One man later told the BBC that he felt the intense surveillance was unnecessary and that there did not appear to be any immediate security threat, but that the atmosphere was friendly.
Nevertheless, there is a sharpness in the demeanor of the officials, as evidenced by the fact that police officers questioned the BBC team who were taking photographs at the terminal, but after some checks they immediately was arrested.
The ride was calm and orderly, and the train departed on time.
The speed increases – the train currently reaches a top speed of 120 km/h (75 mph), but it can go even faster – and soon the early morning sun begins to illuminate the panoramic landscape as the train heads towards Dar Es I zipped through the suburbs of Salam.
We traverse vast countryside (shrub and grassland plains interspersed with lush farm vistas), passing winding rivers, rocky terrain and rolling hills.
There was also a tunnel, which caused some discomfort to the eardrums.
“We recommend that you chew something, yawn, and keep your mouth open,” the announcer said, to the amusement of some passengers.
For first-timers, the excitement was palpable.
Bernice Augustine was on a weekend vacation in Dodoma with her daughter.
“It’s amazing,” she says. “You can’t compare it to the old trains. It’s convenient, clean and easy.”
Basilio Lukanga/BBC
Bernice Augustine is a fan of the new train
Hilary Musa Maginga has bad memories of riding the old train line. After the trip to Kigoma, he was so tired and his back hurt that he vowed never to take a train again.
But when he heard about SGR, his curiosity was piqued.
“When you’re used to traveling long distances, you sit until it hurts. So when you have the option of traveling for a short time, there’s a lot of fun. We’ve come from far away, thank God ” he says. .
For Mazinga, traveling with SGR is a Zen-like journey, a calm and unperturbed travel experience.
The project’s path to this point has not been completely smooth.
Since the first groundbreaking in 2017, the first section was expected to be completed in 2019. But railroads believe they are facing long delays due to the coronavirus, construction costs and labor issues.
Questions have also been raised about the huge cost, estimated to be $10bn (£8bn) when completed.
Turkish company Yapi Merkeci is the main contractor for the first four sections of the line, including the section from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma, while the remaining two sections are being built by Chinese companies.
Basilio Lukanga/BBC
The train station in the capital, Dodoma, represents a rocky outcrop that is common in the city.
Funding is being provided by the Tanzanian government and financial institutions including Denmark, Sweden, the Export-Import Bank of China, and the African Development Bank.
But Masanja said it was too early to worry about profitability, which would only be possible once the entire network was completed. He added that the service generates enough passenger revenue to offset operating costs and plans to introduce freight trains from January.
For now, “philanthropy is much more profitable,” he says.
Power outages have occasionally disrupted services, but Masanja said they are building dedicated transmission lines to take advantage of the country’s vast power generation capacity to eliminate the risk of power instability. Ta.
Using electricity has reduced operating costs to about a third of what would be spent on diesel, he told the BBC. Neighboring Kenya uses diesel to power its SGR line.
“In terms of cost, we are the cheapest in the region and in Africa,” he says.
However, not everyone is completely happy.
Adam Ali Mwansinga, president of the Dodoma Bus Terminal Agents Association, says his members have lost a significant portion of their business to the railways.
The capital’s modern bus station was a busy terminal not too long ago, he said, adding that it now sees 4-500 fewer passengers each day.
Buses are cheaper, but the convenience of rail is more appealing to many people.
“Business is slow and life is difficult,” Mwansinga said.
“The buses aren’t filling up, and a lot of businesses that used to benefit from more people are struggling,” he says.
But he seemed complacent, saying that the SGR’s development had “worked well for the vast majority of people.”
“That’s the nature of life. Some people benefit and some people suffer.”
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