Rail transport in Zambia
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Rail transport in Zambia is primarily provided by two operators:
See the linked articles for history, service updates and sources.
Railway links with adjacent countries
- Democratic Republic of the Congo - Ndola to Sakania then Lubumbashi - 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in), freight only.[1]
- Angola - no direct link - but indirectly via DR Congo to the Benguela Railway, part of the Lobito Corridor - same gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in). In October 2023, Zambia signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Angola, DR Congo, the United States and the European Union for the construction of a new railway line connecting the Zambian Copperbelt via northwestern Zambia directly to the Benguela Railway at Luacano in eastern Angola. The project, named Zambia-Lobito railway, is supported by the African Development Bank and the Africa Finance Corporation.[2][3]
- Tanzania - from Kapiri Mposhi, border crossing at Nakonde, Zambia, to Dar es Salaam, TAZARA railway, passenger and freight - 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
- Malawi - Chipata-Mchinji opened 2014, closed 2016, see Zambia Railways Limited for updates.
- Mozambique - no direct link, but indirectly to Nacala, Beira (via Malawi, see above) and Maputo (via Zimbabwe, no continuous passenger services).
- Zimbabwe - from Livingstone via the Victoria Falls Bridge to Bulawayo, freight only.
- Botswana - no direct link, indirectly via Zimbabwe (no continuous passenger services). A new line has been proposed (Mosetse–Kazungula–Livingstone Railway) crossing the Zambezi River via the Kazangula Bridge.
- Namibia - no direct link.
See also
References
Notes
- ^ "A propos de la SNCC SA [About the SNCC]". 16 March 2026.
- ^ "Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Development of the Lobito Corridor and the Zambia-Lobito Rail Line". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
- ^ "Connecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, and Angola to Global Markets through the Lobito Corridor".
Further reading
- Robinson, Neil (2009). World Rail Atlas and Historical Summary. Volume 7: North, East and Central Africa. Barnsley, UK: World Rail Atlas Ltd. ISBN 978-954-92184-3-5.
External links
Media related to Rail transport in Zambia at Wikimedia Commons