Rail transport in Tanzania

Rail transport in Tanzania is conducted by two companies (Tanzania Railways Corporation and TAZARA). It has historically used narrow gauge trackage, but planning and construction of new standard gauge lines is underway as of 2017.

Railway links with adjacent countries

 * 🇧🇮 Burundi - no - proposed
 * DR Congo - decades ago there was a train ferry between Kigoma and Kalemie, in 2007 there are no ferry links and the DR Congo line to Kalemie is defunct because of a collapsed bridge. Break of gauge: /
 * 🇰🇪 Kenya - no, historically present - same gauge, but the link between Moshi and Voi is defunct due to rails being lifted during A103 road renovation near Voi.
 * 🇲🇼 Malawi - no - break of gauge /
 * 🇲🇿 Mozambique - no - break of gauge /
 * 🇷🇼 Rwanda - no - proposed
 * 🇺🇬 Uganda - yes - same gauge - via train ferry from Mwanza to Port Bell or Jinja.
 * 🇿🇲 Zambia - yes - break of gauge /

The central line between Kigoma and Dar es Salaam carries international freight and passengers in transit from Burundi, DR Congo and Rwanda to the Indian Ocean, and the branch from Tabora to Mwanza carries freight and passengers between Uganda and the Indian Ocean. →

Standard gauge development
On 31 March 2015 the Tanzanian government announced it would use $14.2 billion of commercial loans to build new rail infrastructure across the country before 2021, and make the country a regional transport hub. In June, China Railway Materials was awarded a $7.6 billion contract, primarily funded by commercial financing, to build new standard gauge lines connecting Dar es Salaam with Burundi and Rwanda. A separate $1.4 billion contract was awarded to China Railway Engineering Corporation to build a line between mines near Ludewa and the port of Mtwara. Both Chinese contracts were terminated by President John Magufuli when he took office in November 2015.

In February 2017, construction companies Yapı Merkezi and Mota-Engil were jointly awarded a contract to build 207 km of track between Dar es Salaam and Morogoro, and a 400 km line connecting Isaka with Burundi and Rwanda. Construction of the Dar es Salaam–Morogoro line began in April, with service expected to begin in 2019. The new line is designed to allow passenger services to travel at up to 160 km/h and freight services at up to 120 km/h. Tanzania plans to extend the line to Dodoma, and later to Kigoma and Mwanza, contingent on obtaining financing. The first phase (Dar es Salaam–Morogoro Section) has been completed in April 2022.

Proposed line

 * Lobito-Dar es Salaam Railway

Maps

 * UN map