Rail transport in Madagascar

Rail transport in Madagascar is primarily operated by Madarail. There are two unconnected systems having a total length of 855 km, as of 2023, all metre gauge, 1,000 mm. The northern railway is concessioned to Madarail. Since April 2022 Madarail has been 100% owned by the Madagascan state. The southern line, Fianarantsoa-Côte-Est railway is a parastatal (state owned) line.

The historical length of lines in the country was 899 km together with a number of military and industrial lines of at least 108 km.

History
Construction started in 1901 on the Madagascar Railway (Le Chemin-de-Fer de Madagascar) at Anivorano on the line from Tananarive to Toamasina / Tamatave. The northern network was essentially complete by 1923 and the southern line by 1936.

Operations
There is a regular (at least daily) goods traffic between the port city of Toamasina and the capital city of Antananarivo. There are daily passenger trains on the Madarail system. Very occasionally, there are special chartered trips on restored Micheline railcars for tourists. The southern line has a regular daily passenger train, which provides a slow but picturesque alternative to the recently rehabilitated road in the region.

The line between Antananarivo and Antsirabe re-opened on 2 December 2023.

Urban Passenger Service
A passenger service between Soarano (Antananarivo main station) and Amaronakona (18°55'49.9"S 47°34'44.8"E, on the TCE line) was due to commence in August 2023. Eight stations were planned. Similarly diesel powered trains will initially operate instead of the planned electric trains.

Initial operation was subsequently delayed until 'early 2024' in an announcement on 7 December 2023

Interfaces

 * Continuous Brakes: Air/Vacuum/Unbraked ?
 * Couplers: Centre buffer and two side hooks and chains.

Cities served by rail

 * Antananarivo - national capital
 * Toamasina - chief seaport