TAZARA Railway

Tanzania–Zambia Railway
Overview
StatusMinimally operational
Termini
  • Nelson Mandela Road, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
  • Kapiri Mposhi, Zambia
Websitewww.tazarasite.com
Service
TypeHeavy rail
Operator(s)Tanzania–Zambia Railway Authority
History
Opened1975
Technical
Line length1,860 km (1,160 mi)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Route map
Map
Tanzania railway network
1000mm gauge, 1067mm gauge (TAZARA)
Tanzania-Zambia
Railway (TAZARA)
km
0.0
Dar es Salaam
1.9
3.0
Yombo
18.1
Mwakanga
28.7
Vigama
33.7
Kazimzumbwi
42.0
Kifuru
64.7
Chakenge
70.6
Mzenga
89.8
Nyani
103.0
Gwata
130.8
Kidunda
161.8
Kinyanguru
191.2
Fuga
199.3
Metambwe
217.0
Kisaki
247.1
Lumango
274.8
Pwaga
305.5
0.0
Msolwa
24.1
Kidatu
109.5
315.3
Katulukilla
321.2
Mang’ula
331.1
Kiberege
342.5
Siginali
360.0
Ifakara
378.7
Idete
394.1
Ruipa
412.5
Mbingu
430.3
Mngeta
447.0
Ikule
462.1
Chita
480.3
Chisano
496.1
Mlimba
509.1
Lumumwe
521.7
Kimbwe
534.8
Mpanga
555.9
Kitete
569.3
Uchindile
584.3
Mgololo
596.7
Kiyowela
621.3
Kitandililo
633.8
Mahongole
651.5
Makambako
671.5
Wanging’mbe
690.6
Kangaga
704.9
Rujewa
720.7
Msesule
749.4
Chimala
769.4
Igurusi
784.4
Ilongo
800.3
Malamba
810.6
Lumba
822.9
Inyala
832.9
Uyole
848.8
Mbeya
860.1
Mbalizi
872.1
Idiga
890.1
Chikola
915.4
Mlowo
926.2
Vwawa
952.4
Mpemba
969.6
Tunduma
971.0
Nakonde
982.1
Mwenzo
990.1
Msanza
1,008.6
Kawila
1,023.7
Luchinde
1,038.0
Chozi
1,056.0
Luchewe
1,088.0
Kalulu
1,103.0
Makasa
1,135.9
Kayaya
1,151.0
Chimba
1,169.0
Malenge
1,183.3
Nseluka
Proposed line to
Port Mpulungu
1,212.8
Kungu
1,222.3
Kasama
1,264.9
Nkolemfumu
1,282.4
Ishitu
1,315.4
Chambeshi
1,329.5
Mpepo
1,358.9
Kasongo
1,386.6
Kabuka
1,412.0
Sabwa
1,424.0
Mpika
1,448.1
Chilonga
1,469.0
Kapoko
1,493.2
Kalonje
1,505.8
Salamo
1,525.9
Mununga
1,535.4
Finkuli
1,559.5
Lukulu
1,597.7
Luslwasi
1,593.5
Kanona
1,617.0
Chakalamo
1,643.8
Kawaluma
1,664.2
Serenje
Proposed line to
Chipata
1,690.8
Chisangwa
1,720.1
Ndabala
1,734.9
Mkushi River
1,747.6
Nkolonga
1,773.0
Mkushi
1,792.9
Ngambwa
1,817.6
Lunsemfwa
1,844.1
Luanshimba
1,863.1
New Kapiri Mposhi
1,864.6
649.6
Kapiri North Junction
Zambia Railways to Congo DR and Lusaka

The Tazara Railway, also called the Uhuru Railway or the Tanzam Railway, is a railway in East Africa linking the port of Dar es Salaam in east Tanzania with the town of Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia's Central Province. The single-track railway is 1,860 km (1,160 mi) long and is operated by the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA).

The governments of Tanzania, Zambia, and the People's Republic of China built the railway to eliminate landlocked Zambia's economic dependence on Rhodesia and South Africa, both of which were ruled by white-minority governments.[1] The railway provided the only route for bulk trade from Zambia's Copperbelt to reach the sea without having to transit white-ruled territories. The spirit of Pan-African socialism among the leaders of Tanzania and Zambia and the symbolism of China's support for newly independent African countries gave rise to Tazara's designation as the "Great Uhuru Railway", Uhuru being the Swahili word for freedom.

The project was built from 1970 to 1975 as a turnkey project financed and supported by China. At its completion, the Tazara was the longest railway in sub-Saharan Africa.[2] Tazara was also the largest single foreign-aid project undertaken by China at the time, at a construction cost of US $406 million (the equivalent of US $3.19 billion today).[3][4]

Tazara has faced operational difficulties from the start and was kept running by continued assistance from China, several European countries, and the United States. Freight traffic peaked at 1.2 million tons in 1986, but began to decline in the 1990s as the end of apartheid in South Africa and the independence of Namibia opened alternative transport routes for Zambian copper. Freight traffic bottomed out at 88,000 metric tons in Fiscal Year (FY) 2014/2015, less than 2% of the railway's design capacity of 5 million tonnes per year.[5][6]

In February 2024, the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) submitted a proposal for the upgrading of the Tazara to standard gauge, as well as for a concession to operate the line.[7] A corresponding Memorandum of Understanding was signed at the 9th Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing in September 2024.[8] The refurbishment is to commence as a public private partnership.[9]

  1. ^ Thomas W. Robinson and David L. Shambaugh. Chinese Foreign Policy: theory and practice, 1994. Page 287.
  2. ^ Brautigam 2010: 40
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Xinhua was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference nytimes19710129 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference tazara_capacity was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference xinhua2016_04 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Kubwa, M. (11 February 2024). "$1 Billion Chinese Tazara Revamp Proposal Issued". Construction Review. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  8. ^ "Why TAZARA revival crucial". Daily News. 5 September 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  9. ^ TAZARA: A test case for China’s capacity to modernise and adapt to evolving global demands Global Railway Review. Access date: 2024-08-23