Tanzania set to launch SGR cargo services between Dar and Dodoma

Tanzania is set to launch cargo services on its standard gauge railway (SGR) between Dar es Salaam and Dodoma after completing successful trial runs and securing approval from the Land Transport Regulatory Authority (LATRA).

The Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC), which will manage the operations, confirmed its readiness to begin commercial freight transport.

TRC officials said two trial runs were conducted on June 1 and 2 between Dar es Salaam and Ihumwa in Dodoma, both of which met regulatory standards.

"This was the second trial, following the initial run on 1 June from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma. We are now prepared to start operations after receiving Latra's approval," said Enock Mgonja, TRC’s Passenger and Freight Wagon Maintenance Manager.

According to TRC Senior Transport Officer Masha Twaha, cargo will be loaded and offloaded at key stations along the SGR route, including Pugu, Morogoro and Ihumwa. The Dar es Salaam Port will serve as the main logistics hub for the operations.

The new service will use Chinese-made freight wagons that are part of a 1,430-unit consignment from Beijing, meant to upgrade Tanzania’s transport system and boost cross-border trade.

The SGR replaces the ageing metre-gauge railway and is seen as one of the country's most ambitious infrastructure projects. The Dar–Dodoma line is expected to form the base of a wider rail network that will extend to Mwanza and link with neighbouring countries.

While there were earlier concerns about the impact of the railway on the trucking industry, the Tanzania Truck Owners Association (TATOA) has since welcomed the development.

"A substantial amount of cargo arriving at Dar es Salaam Port is destined for neighbouring countries. Trucks will take over where the train stops, transporting goods to their final destinations," TATOA Chair Elias Lukumay said in a past interview.