The Sousse–Kairouan Decauville railway was a 64 km (40 mi) long 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) gauge Decauvillemilitary railway from Sousse to Kairouan in Tunisia. It operated from 1882 to 1896, before it was re-gauged to 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in).
The French army occupied Kairouan in 1881. Pioneers then built the narrow gauge railway from Sousse on the coast to the former capital Kairouan within 3½ months.[1][2] It ran mainly on an old Roman road.[3]
The open-sided carriages arrived before 1 January 1882 in Sousse.[4] The first train transported wounded soldieres on 3 February 1882 from Kairouan to Sousse. The waggons were initially drawn by horses and later by steam locomotives. The railway was regauged from 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) to 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) gauge in 1896.[1]
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