Tazara

The Tanzania,Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) operates the 1,860 km line from Dar es Salaam to Kapiri Mposhi, with 975 km located in Tanzania, and is undergoing a USD 1.4 billion rehabilitation program launched in November 2025.

TAZARA is one of the three networks that make up Tanzania's mainland railway system, alongside the Meter Gauge Railway (MGR) and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).

The line was opened in 1975 to provide Zambia with an alternative route to the seaport of Dar es Salaam for imports and exports, and remains a strategic freight corridor for landlocked Southern African economies.

TAZARA Network and Historical Capacity

The Tanzania,Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) maintains and operates the 1,860 km railway line from Dar es Salaam to Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia.

Of the total line length, 975 km are located within Tanzania, with the remainder crossing into Zambian territory.

The railway was designed with a nominal capacity of 5 million tonnes per year.

Peak throughput of 1.2 million tonnes was reached in 1987, after which freight volumes gradually declined over subsequent decades.

The TAZARA line connects with the Meter Gauge Railway (MGR) network at Kidatu, where the southern branch of the TRC-operated central corridor links into the TAZARA alignment.

FY 2022/23 Freight Performance

In the 2022/2023 financial year, total freight volumes transported on the TAZARA line amounted to 324,903 tonnes.^[1]

This throughput represents a small fraction of the line's original 5 million tonne annual design capacity, reflecting decades of gradual decline from the 1987 peak.

The gap between installed capacity and actual freight throughput underscores the scale of rehabilitation and rolling stock renewal required to restore the corridor's competitiveness.

Suspension and Restoration of Operations

Operations on the TAZARA line were suspended in June 2024 due to technical challenges affecting the infrastructure and rolling stock.

Services were subsequently restored in February 2026, following interim interventions ahead of the broader rehabilitation program.

The suspension period underscored the urgency of comprehensive investment in tracks, stations, and communication systems to sustain reliable freight and passenger services.

USD 1.4 Billion Rehabilitation Program

In November 2025, the Governments of Tanzania and Zambia officially launched a major rehabilitation program for TAZARA.

The program involves upgrades to railway tracks, stations, and communication systems along the 1,860 km corridor.

It is supported by an investment of USD 1.4 billion from the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).

The bilateral character of the initiative reflects the shared strategic value of the corridor for both Tanzania and Zambia, particularly for copper exports and inbound trade through the port of Dar es Salaam.

Integration with the Wider Rail System

TAZARA is one of three railway networks operating on the Tanzanian mainland, alongside the Meter Gauge Railway (MGR) and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).

The Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) maintains and operates approximately 2,700 km of the MGR network, which runs west from Dar es Salaam through central Tanzania to Kigoma on Lake Tanganyika.

The MGR includes a southern branch extending to Kidatu, where it physically connects with the TAZARA line, enabling limited interchange between the two systems.

The SGR project, covering 2,809 km at an estimated cost of USD 7 billion,^[2] follows the MGR alignment for approximately 80% of its corridor, and is designed to enhance regional freight and passenger movement using electric locomotives capable of up to 160 km/h.

Investment Opportunities

The USD 1.4 billion CCECC-supported rehabilitation program creates a substantial pipeline for engineering, procurement, and construction subcontracting across track works, station upgrades, and communication systems.

Restoring the line towards its 5 million tonne design capacity, from the 324,903 tonnes recorded in FY 2022/23,^[1] opens significant scope for rolling stock supply, locomotive leasing, wagon maintenance, and logistics services along the 1,860 km corridor.

The Kidatu interchange with the MGR, and the broader alignment with regional freight flows towards Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and other Southern African markets, positions TAZARA-linked warehousing, terminal operations, and multimodal logistics as areas of investor interest.

The resumption of operations in February 2026, following the June 2024 suspension, further creates near-term commercial openings in freight forwarding, bulk cargo handling, and mineral transport services tied to the copper belt trade.

Last Update: May 2026

References

1. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzG8Kx6NXHP/ (Guide reference #190)
2. https://www.uchukuzi.go.tz/uploads/documents/en-1747907077-MUHTSARI%20WA%20HOTUBA%20YA%20WAZIRI%20WA%20UCHUKUZI%20MHESHIMIWA%20PROF.pdf (Guide reference #192)