TAZARA suspends passenger train services in Tanzania for urgent track repairs!

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has announced the temporary suspension of passenger train services between Dar es Salaam and Mbeya in Tanzania, including the Kilimanjaro Ordinary Train and the Udzungwa train, effective 29 November 2024. According to TAZARA, this decision follows multiple track closures caused by a series of more than ten unforseen incidents. These events have necessitated temporary closures of various sections of the railway line to faciltate urgent repairs. TAZARA is expecting to resume normal operations in Tanzania by 12 December 2024. We'll keep you posted!

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) is a bi-national railway, jointly owned by the Government of Tanzania and the Government of Zambia on an equal share-holding basis. The 1,860 km-rail runs from Tanzania and East Africa’s major seaport of Dar es Salaam into the heart of Zambia's Central Province, terminating at New Kapiri-Mposhi, where it is further linked by road and rail to Zambia's capital city, Lusaka (about 200 km), Zambia's mining nerve centre, the Copperbelt province (about 100 km) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Tanzania & Zambia: TAZARA resumes passenger train operations!

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has announced that passenger trains are set to continue to operate within the respective regions between Dar es Salaam and Mbeya in Tanzania, and between Kapiri-Mposhi and Nakonde in Zambia. Interstate cross-border passenger train services between Tanzania and Zambia remain suspended for the time being. This operational plan is subject to further review, in due course, as TAZARA works to fully resolve the existing challenges. Therefore, until further notice, the train services will be available in the respective regions of Tanzania and Zambia, as follows:

The Kilimanjaro Train

• Departing Dar es Salaam for Mbeya at 13:50 every Tuesday and at 15:50 every Friday, terminating at Mbeya Station.
• Departing Mbeya for Dar es Salaam at 18:00 every Wednesday and Saturday.

The Mukuba Train

• Departing Kapiri-Mposhi for Nakonde at 14:00 every Tuesday and at 16:00 every Friday, terminating at Nakonde Station.
• Departing Nakonde for Kapiri-Mposhi at 18:00 every Wednesday and Saturday.

(c) TAZARA

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) is a bi-national railway, jointly owned by the Government of Tanzania and the Government of Zambia on an equal share-holding basis. The 1,860 km-rail runs from Tanzania and East Africa’s major seaport of Dar es Salaam into the heart of Zambia's Central Province, terminating at New Kapiri-Mposhi, where it is further linked by road and rail to Zambia's capital city, Lusaka (about 200 km), Zambia's mining nerve centre, the Copperbelt province (about 100 km) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). 

Tanzania & Zambia: TAZARA announces suspension of passenger train operations until further notice!

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has announced the suspension of passenger train operations between Tanzania and Zambia with effect from 18 June 2024, until further notice. This suspension has been necessitated by various operational challenges that the authority is facing. In the meantime, between now and when the suspension takes effect next week, the trains will operate regionally as follows:

The Kilimanjaro Train

• Depart Dar es Salaam for Mbeya at 00:05 on 15 June 2024, and terminate at Mbeya.
• Depart Mbeya for Dar es Salaam at 05:00 on 16 June 2024.

The Mukuba Train

• Depart Kapiri-Mposhi for Nakonde at 00:05 15 June 2024, and terminate at Nakonde.
• Depart Nakonde for Kapiri-Mposhi at 10:00 on 16 June 2024

(c) TAZARA

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) is a bi-national railway, jointly owned by the Government of Tanzania and the Government of Zambia on an equal share-holding basis. The 1,860 km-rail runs from Tanzania and East Africa’s major seaport of Dar es Salaam into the heart of Zambia's Central Province, terminating at New Kapiri-Mposhi, where it is further linked by road and rail to Zambia's capital city, Lusaka (about 200 km), Zambia's mining nerve centre, the Copperbelt province (about 100 km) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). 

TAZARA: Resumption of normal train operations!

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has announced that the reopening of the mainline, which was temporarily closed on 01 April 2024 due to landslides and formation failures caused by heavy rains in the Mlimba–Makambako area of Tanzania. As a result, normal train operations will resume immediately, with passenger trains planned to run as follows:

• Kilimanjaro Ordinary Passenger Train: The inaugural journey will depart from Mbeya to Dar es Salaam on 25 May at 18:00.
• Udzungwa Shuttle Passenger Train: The first journey will depart from Makambako to Kidatu on 25 May 2024 at 19:00
• Dar es Salaam Commuter Passenger Train: The normal route operations from Dar es Salaam to Mwakanga shall resume on 27 May 2024.
• Kilimanjaro Ordinary Passenger Train (cross-border): The journey will commence from Dar es Salaam to New Kapiri-Mposhi on 28 May 2024 at 13:50
• Mukuba Express Passenger Train (cross-border): The first cross-border journey will depart from New Kapiri-Mposhi to Dar es Salaam on 28 May 2024 at 16:00
• All trains will adhere to their regular schedules thereafter

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) is a bi-national railway, jointly owned by the Government of Tanzania and the Government of Zambia on an equal share-holding basis. The 1,860 km-rail runs from Tanzania and East Africa’s major seaport of Dar es Salaam into the heart of Zambia's Central Province, terminating at New Kapiri-Mposhi, where it is further linked by road and rail to Zambia's capital city, Lusaka (about 200 km), Zambia's mining nerve centre, the Copperbelt province (about 100 km) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). 

TAZARA: Temporary suspension of passenger train services in Zambia! [update]

update (10 October 2023): TAZARA's services in Zambia  are set to resume from today, so that crossborder passenger train services between Zambia and Tanzania are also back to normal.

• Kapiri-Mposhi to Dar es Salaam,  Tuesday 10 October 2023,  16:00 (On time).
• Dar es Salaam to Kapiri-Mposhi, Tuesday 10 October 2023, 13:50 (Departure likely to be delayed)

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has announced that passenger train operations in Zambia have been suspended until further notice. According to the railway's management, this is due to goods train accidents that have recently occurred in the Kapwila-Msanza and Chankalamo-Kabuluma sections. Both accident spots are located in Zambia. TAZARA's passenger train operations in Tanzania are not affected by the accident. The Kilimanjaro Passenger Train will continue to run between Dar es Salaam and Mbeya only, based on the normal train schedules. TAZARA is planing to resume passenger train operations in Zambia next week. We'll keep you posted!

• Dar es Salaam > Mbeya: Tuesdays and Fridays
• Mbeya > Dar es Salaam: Wednesdays and Saturdays

© TAZARA

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) is a bi-national railway, jointly owned by the Government of Tanzania and the Government of Zambia on an equal share-holding basis. The 1,860 km-rail runs from Tanzania and East Africa’s major seaport of Dar es Salaam into the heart of Zambia's Central Province, terminating at New Kapiri-Mposhi, where it is further linked by road and rail to Zambia's capital city, Lusaka (about 200 km), Zambia's mining nerve centre, the Copperbelt province (about 100 km) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

 

TAZARA: Temporary suspension of passenger train services in Zambia! [update #2]

update (17 April 2023): Bridge no. 299 has been repaired, the line has been reopened and the passenger trains are back on track. Therefore, both the Mukuba and Kilimanjaro Passenger Trains will run as per normal train schedule, departing New Kapiri-Mposhi and Dar es Salaam on Tuesday at 16:00 and 13:50, respectively.

update (14 April 2023): TAZARA is expecting to resume passenger train operations in Zambia on 18 April 2023. We'll keep you posted!

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has announced that passenger train operations in Zambia have been suspended until further notice. This is due to an accident involving a rescue crane, which dislocated bridge No. 299 in Mpika and made the main track impassable. The accident took place on 10 April 2023. Consequently, the section between Mpika and Sabwa is temporarily closed for repairs. 

© TAZARA

TAZARA's passenger train operations in Tanzania are not affected by the accident. The Kilimanjaro Passenger Train will continue to run between Dar es Salaam and Mbeya only, based on the normal train schedules. We'll keep you posted!

• Dar es Salaam > Mbeya: Tuesdays and Fridays
• Mbeya > Dar es Salaam: Wednesdays and Saturdays

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) is a bi-national railway, jointly owned by the Government of Tanzania and the Government of Zambia on an equal share-holding basis. The 1,860 km-rail runs from Tanzania and East Africa’s major seaport of Dar es Salaam into the heart of Zambia's Central Province, terminating at New Kapiri-Mposhi, where it is further linked by road and rail to Zambia's capital city, Lusaka (about 200 km), Zambia's mining nerve centre, the Copperbelt province (about 100 km) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).    

TAZARA: Temporary suspension of passenger train services between Zambia & Tanzania! [update]

update (06 December 2022): TAZARA's interstate passenger train operations between Zambia and Tanzania resumed today.

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has announced the suspension of cross-border passenger services between Zambia and Tanzania due to a train accident involving a freight train. The accident occurred in the early hours of 30 November 2022. The section between Lumumwe and Mpanga in Tanzania, where the accident occurred, has been temporarily closed as rescue operations are underway.
In the meantime, until further notice, TAZARA's passenger services in Tanzania are only be
available between Dar es Salaam and Mlimba, whilst in Zambia the services are only
be available between New Kapiri-Mposhi and Nakonde. We'll keep you posted!

© TAZARA

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) is a bi-national railway, jointly owned by the Government of Tanzania and the Government of Zambia on an equal share-holding basis. The 1,860 km-rail runs from Tanzania and East Africa’s major seaport of Dar es Salaam into the heart of Zambia's Central Province, terminating at New Kapiri-Mposhi, where it is further linked by road and rail to Zambia's capital city, Lusaka (about 200 km), Zambia's mining nerve centre, the Copperbelt province (about 100 km) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).   

Tanzania/Zambia: TAZARA resumes full passenger train operations! [update]

update (25 October 2022): TAZARA has resumed cross-border services between New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania today.

Following three weeks of assessing the suitability of the Chambeshi Railway Brigde for full train operations and the temporary suspension of passenger services in Zambia due to a goods train accident that occurred in a curve between Msanza Station and Kapwila Station in the Nakonde District on 22 September 2022, the Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has now announced the resumption of full passenger train operations in Zambia and Tanzania. The Mukuba Passenger Train in Zambia will start running through to New Kapiri Mposhi from 13 October 2022. In addition, the Mukuba Passenger Train and the Kilimanjaro Passenger Train will both resume their cross-border services between New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, respectively, on 18 October 2022. Safe travels!

Chambeshi Railway Bridge
© TAZARA

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) is a bi-national railway, jointly owned by the Government of Tanzania and the Government of Zambia on an equal share-holding basis. The 1,860 km-rail runs from Tanzania and East Africa’s major seaport of Dar es Salaam into the heart of Zambia's Central Province, terminating at New Kapiri-Mposhi, where it is further linked by road and rail to Zambia's capital city, Lusaka (about 200 km), Zambia's mining nerve centre, the Copperbelt province (about 100 km) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).  

TAZARA resumes cross-border passenger train operations between Tanzania and Zambia!

The Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has announced that the Chambeshi Railway Bridge on the Chambeshi River in Zambia's Muchinga Province, which was closed to traffic on 13 October 2021, has been re-opened, following the completion of repair works by the Engineering Contractor. However, passage is currently limited to freight trains only at a restricted running speed, as readings are taken to gauge the bridge performance and suitability for full train operations in the next two weeks.

Chambeshi Railway Bridge
© TAZARA

As test runs are going on, TAZARA is mobilizing and preparing the coaches for the Kilimanjaro and Mukuba passenger trains in readiness for the resumption of cross-border passenger services between Dar es Salaam, in Tanzania, and New Kapiri-Mposhi, in Zambia, which were suspended in March 2020 following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Mukuba and Kilimanjaro passenger trains are both set to resume their journeys from New Kapiri-Mposhi and Dar es Salaam, respectively, on 04 October 2022. We'll keep you posted!

TAZARA: Resumption of cross-border passenger train operations between Tanzania and Zambia! [update #4]

update (16 August 2022): The Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) posted on Facebook on 15 August 2022 that the repairs at the Chambeshi Bridge near completion. We'll keep you posted!

update (13 July 2022): The re-opening of the Chambeshi Bridge has been pushed back due to the delayed arrival of steel members from South Africa. The repairs will now be completed by 16 August 2022 and the testing and commissioning of the line by 19 August 2022.

update (10 June 2022):  TAZARA Regional Manager Kambani Ndhlovu: "We will not rush to commence full operations after completion of repair works on July 22 but will wait for a period of three to four weeks of testing to ensure that the bridge is perfect and later have it recommissioned." [src.]

update (07 June 2022): According to a recent update by Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) on Facebook, the full cross-border services will only resume sometime towards the end of July 2022, once the Chambeshi Railway Bridge is repaired. 

The Managing Director of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), Eng. Bruno Ching’andu, has announced that the Chambeshi Rail Bridge, which suffered major damages from a goods train accident in May 2021, will be ready for use again by the end of July 2022. TAZARA is planning to resume freight operations across the bridge on 22 July 2022 and to commence all passenger operations shortly thereafter, including cross-border passenger services between Tanzania and Zambia which were suspended in May 2020, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chambeshi Rail Bridge
© TAZARA

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) is a bi-national railway, jointly owned by the Government of Tanzania and the Government of Zambia on an equal share-holding basis. The 1,860 km-rail runs from Tanzania and East Africa’s major seaport of Dar es Salaam into the heart of Zambia's Central Province, terminating at New Kapiri-Mposhi, where it is further linked by road and rail to Zambia's capital city, Lusaka (about 200 km), Zambia's mining nerve centre, the Copperbelt province (about 100 km) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

TAZARA to resume cross-border passenger train operations between Tanzania and Zambia!

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has announced that cross-border passenger train operations between Tanzania and Zambia on board the Mukuba Passenger Train and Kilimanjaro Passenger Train, which were suspended at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, will resume in July 2022. TAZARA further announced that the repair work of the Chambeshi Railway Bridge in Zambia will finally start in March 2022. The repairs are expected to be completed in four months' time, so that train operations across the Chambeshi Railway Bridge can resume in July 2022. We'll keep you posted!

Photo by katsuma tanaka on Unsplash

Zambia: TAZARA temporarily suspends operations between New Kapiri-Mposhi and Kasama! [update]

update (25 February 2022): TAZARA has announced that the repair work of the Chambeshi Railway Bridge in Zambia will finally start in March 2022. The repairs are expected to be completed in four months' time, so that train operations across the Chambeshi Railway Bridge can resume in July 2022. We'll keep you posted!

update (18 February 2022): According to an update on TAZARA's Facebook page, funds have already been provided by the Government of Zambia for the repair of the Chambeshi Rail Bridge. However, the tender process is yet to be completed, particularly with regard to the terms of engagement of the contractor, who has already been selected and is geared to move on site. We'll keep you posted!

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has announced that train movements between New Kapiri-Mposhi and Kasama in Zambia are temporarily disrupted to allow for repairs on the Chambeshi Rail Bridge, which suffered major damages from a goods train accident that occurred on 13 May 2021. The section of the track between Chambeshi Station and Kasama Station, a stretch of 83 km, has been closed to passenger trains. TAZARA's passenger trains in Zambia are currently only running between Kasama and Nakonde until further notice. However TAZARA's cargo wagons are being propelled across the Chambeshi Rail Bridge without locomotives, a measure that will guarantee uninterrupted deliveries of cargo to and from Kapiri-Mposhi. According to Head Public Relations, Conrad Simuchile, TAZARA is anticipating to resume normal operations within 12 weeks. We'll keep you posted!

Chambeshi Rail Bridge
© TAZARA

Please note that TAZARA's cross border passenger operations between Tanzania and Zambia are still suspended!

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) is a bi-national railway, jointly owned by the Government of Tanzania and the Government of Zambia on an equal share-holding basis. The 1,860 km-rail runs from Tanzania and East Africa’s major seaport of Dar es Salaam into the heart of Zambia's Central Province, terminating at New Kapiri-Mposhi, where it is further linked by road and rail to Zambia's capital city, Lusaka (about 200 km), Zambia's mining nerve centre, the Copperbelt province (about 100 km) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Coronavirus pandemic: TAZARA has released an update on its passenger train services in Tanzania & Zambia! [update]

update (06 August 2020): TAZARA's cross-border passenger trains between Tanzania and Zambia remain suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, until further notice. 

update (20 July 2020): TAZARA's cross-border passenger trains between Tanzania and Zambia remain suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, until further notice.

update (30 May 2020): The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has repaired the track formation that got damaged at KM32 in Mwakanga (32 kilometres south-west of Dar es Salaam), following a landslide that occurred on 30 April 2020 and resulted in the track being rendered impassable. Train operations have now resumed.

update (25 May 2020): The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has announced the resumption of services in Zambia. Following the easing of the lockdown in the city of Nakonde, Passenger Train operations between New Kapiri Mposhi and Nakonde have been resumed.
The Mukuba Express Train will, from 26 May 2020, run on the usual timetable, departing New Kapiri Mposhi at 16:00 and return from Nakonde on Saturday 30 May at 16:47. The cross-border passenger trains between Tanzania and Zambia remain suspended until further notice.

update (23 May 2020): The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) is frantically working on restoring train operations following a disruption occasioned by a landslide that occurred on 30 April 2020 around the Mwakanga area, 32 kilometres south-west of Dar es Salaam. The landslide was caused by heavy and persistent rainfall in the area, which weakened 35 metres of the track formation, rendering the railroad impassable.

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has relased a update on its passenger train services. According to TAZARA, the passenger train service between Tanzania and Zambia will remain suspended until further notice due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The Mukuba Passenger Train for Zambia (Kapiri Mposhi <> Nakonde) also remains suspended until further notice, due to the lockdown in Nakonde. The Kilimanjaro Passenger Train for Tanzania is also not operating, due to technical reasons, until further notice. Only the Udzungwa Shuttle Train (Kidatu <> Makambako) and the Dar es Salaam Commuter Train (Dar es Salaam <> Mwakanga) are currently running on schedule.
The TAZARA Railway, operated by the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), is a railroad in East Africa linking the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania with the town of New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia's Central Province.

Tanzania / Zambia: TAZARA suspends border crossing for passenger trains!

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has announced that both the Mukuba Passenger Train and Kilimanjaro Passenger Train will no longer cross the border between Tanzania and Zambia with effect from 30 March 2020 until further notice due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The trains will instead continue to run within the respective boundaries of the two countries. This adjustment in passenger train operations is inline with the measures taken by the Government of Tanzania and the Government of Zambia in the effort to control the spread of the virus. However, freight train operations are not affected by this change.

The new operational schedules for the two passenger trains will be as follows:

Mukuba Passenger Train:

• The Mukuba Passenger Train will depart New Kapiri Mposhi as it normally does on Tuesday, but terminate and u-turn at Nakonde on Wednesday, arriving at New Kapiri Mposhi on Thursday. The train will run again on Friday from New Kapiri Mposhi to Nakonde, u-turning at Nakonde on Saturday and arriving in New Kapiri Mposhi on Sunday.

Kilimanjaro  Passenger Train:

• The Kilimanjaro Passenger Train will depart Dar es Salaam as it normally does on Tuesday, but terminate and u-turn at Mbeya on Wednesday, arriving at Dar es Salaam on Friday, early in the morning. The train will run again on the same Friday from Dar es Salaam to Mbeya, u-turning at Mbeya on Saturday and arriving in Dar es Salaam in the early hours of Monday.

The TAZARA Railway, operated by the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), is a railroad in East Africa linking the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania with the town of New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia's Central Province.

TAZARA: New passenger fares in Zambia!

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has announced that it will adjust passenger fares for the TAZARA Railway in Zambia. The adjustment will erase the disparity between fares paid for in Tanzanian shillings (TSh) and fares paid for in Zambian Kwacha caused by continued depreciation of the Zambian Kwacha relative to the Tanzanian shilling (TSh). The new fares, as indicated in the schedules for both Express and Ordinary passenger trains in Zambia, will become effective from 17 September 2018.



The TAZARA Railway, operated by the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), is a railroad in East Africa linking the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania with the town of New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia's Central Province.

You may download the new fares here (pdf) >>

TAZARA: Resumption of passenger train services in Zambia!

We got information from the the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) that passenger train services between New Kapiri Mposhi and Nakonde in Zambia resumed on 12 December 2017. The Mukuba Express Train has, therefore, resumed its normal schedule, running from New Kapiri Mposhi to Dar es Salaam on 12 December 2017 and is due to return from Dar es Salaam on 15 December 2017. Similarly, the Kilimanjaro Ordinary Train that had been operating in Tanzania only in the past one week, has resumed its normal operations in Zambia on 12 December 2017. The train will, accordingly, return from New Kapiri Mposhi to Dar es Salaam on 15 December 2017.

The TAZARA Railway, operated by the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), is a railroad in East Africa linking the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania with the town of New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia's Central Province.

TAZARA: Passenger train services in Zambia remain suspended! (08 December 2017) >>

TAZARA: Suspension of train services in Zambia! (05 December 2017) >>

TAZARA: Passenger train services in Zambia remain suspended!

We just got information from the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) that freight trains are running again as planned in Zambia. The company has mobilized management staff to run freight trains, while the unionized employees of TAZARA in Zambia continue to stay away from work. However, passenger train operations in Zambia remain suspended until further notice. In the meantime, funds to pay the striking employees have been secured and TAZARA is optimistic that the situation will be fully resolved 11 December 2017. We'll keep you posted!

The TAZARA Railway, operated by the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), is a railroad in East Africa linking the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania with the town of New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia's Central Province.

TAZARA: Suspension of train services in Zambia! (05 December 2017) >> 

TAZARA: Suspension of train services in Zambia!

We just got information from the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) that all TAZARA Railway services between the Stations in New Kapiri Mposhi and Nakonde in Zambia have been suspended due to industrial action by TAZARA's unionized employees in Zambia who are demanding payment of their unpaid salaries for October and November 2017.
The suspension of services implies that the Mukuba Express Train that was due to run from New Kapiri Mposhi to Dar es Salaam on 05 December 2017 will not do so. Similarly, the Kilimanjaro Ordinary Train that is currently running southbound from Dar es Salaam to New Kapiri Mposhi, will not proceed beyond Mbeya Station in Tanzania.
The suspension of services in Zambia will remain in place until further notice.

The TAZARA Railway, operated by the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), is a railroad in East Africa linking the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania with the town of New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia's Central Province.

TAZARA: Cancellation of the new timetables!

We just got information from the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) that the new timetables for the TAZARA Railway, which were due to be implemented on 01 June 2017, have been shelved until further notice. This follows a review of the technical and operational challenges emanating from the operation of the Kilimanjaro Ordinary Train. TAZARA continues to review the situation with a view to finding long-term solutions to the challenges faced in the operation of the passenger trains.

The TAZARA Railway, operated by the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), is a railroad in East Africa linking the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania with the town of New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia's Central Province.

TAZARA: Adjustment of timetables for cross-border passenger trains

update (08 June 2017): The new timetables have been shelved until further notice. [more]

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has just informed us that it will, with effect from 01 June 2017, adjust the Interstate (Cross-Border) Passenger Train Timetables in order to provide for:

• Ample time for immigration formalities for international travellers
• More detention (stoppage) time at all the stations that are normally congested with parcels and/or passengers
• More time and convenient connections for passengers u-turning at the Tunduma/Nakonde Border

Overall, the adjustments will affect the train movements in the following manner:
 
Terminal Departures

• The departures for the Mukuba passenger trains will remain the same. The Mukuba Express will depart New Kapiri-Mposhi in Zambia on Tuesdays at 16:00 and depart Dar es Salaam in Tanzania for the return journey to New Kapiri-Mposhi on Fridays at 15:50.
• The Kilimanjaro Ordinary will depart Dar es Salaam on Tuesdays at 11:00 and leave New Kapiri-Mposhi for the return journey to Dar es Salaam on Fridays at 11:00.

Terminal Arrivals

• In the case of the Mukuba Express, which departs New Kapiri-Mposhi on Tuesdays 16:00, the arrival time at Dar es Salaam will now be 12:10 on Thursday, while arrival time for the New Kapiri-Mposhi bound Mukuba Express will be 13:45 on Sunday.
• For the Kilimanjaro Ordinary, which departs Dar es Salaam on Tuesdays at 11:00, the arrival time at New Kapiri-Mposhi has changed to 22:54 on Thursday. For the return journey from New Kapiri-Mposhi, the Kilimanjaro Ordinary Passenger Train will now be reaching Dar es Salaam on Sunday at 22:09.

Connections at Nakonde

• The passengers from Zambia who board the Mukuba Express on Tuesday will arrive in Nakonde on Wednesday morning at 08:41 and may return back to their home stations the same day with the Kilimanjaro Ordinary departing Nakonde at 19:34.
• For those who head to Nakonde from New Kapiri-Mposhi with the Kilimanjaro Ordinary on Friday, they will arrive in Nakonde on Saturday at 14:07 and may catch the returning Mukuba Express Train at 19:40 the same day.

Detention Times at Stations

• The detention period has now increased to 10 minutes for Nseluka, Chimba, Chandaweyaya, Makasa, Luchewe and Kapwila stations in Zambia and Chita, Mgeta and Mbingu stations in Tanzania, where extreme congestion of passengers and parcels have been observed in the past.
• In the same vein, detention time has been increased to 25 minutes at Kasama and Chozi stations, to 40 minutes at Nakonde and Makambako stations and to 60 minutes at Mbeya station, for purposes of immigration formalities and other technical reasons.