DAR ES SALAAM — Tanzania’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) is transforming the country’s transport sector, improving efficiency, increasing revenue and strengthening regional trade links.

The Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC) says it is now fully funding its operations through internally generated revenue, ending government salary subsidies that had been provided for more than 13 years. The move saves the government about TZS 13 billion annually.

Passenger services on the Dar es Salaam–Dodoma route, launched in August 2024, have carried more than two million passengers and generated TZS 60.88 billion in revenue. The project has also created more than 9,000 jobs and provided business opportunities to hundreds of local companies.

The electric railway has reduced travel time between Dar es Salaam and Dodoma from 8–9 hours by road to about three hours, allowing same-day travel between the commercial and administrative capitals. Cargo services linking the railway to the Port of Dar es Salaam and the Kwala Dry Port are also expected to lower transport costs and reduce road congestion.

The railway is designed to position Tanzania as a regional trade hub by connecting the country with landlocked neighbours including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda. New cross-border railway projects are planned to improve the movement of goods and passengers across the region.

The Dar es Salaam–Morogoro–Dodoma section is fully operational, while construction continues on other routes including Mwanza–Isaka, Makutupora–Tabora and Tabora–Kigoma. The government says future expansions will link major ports and economic corridors.

Officials say the Standard Gauge Railway will play a key role in supporting Tanzania’s long-term development by improving transport infrastructure, boosting trade and supporting economic growth.