The Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) is a statutory institution owned by the two governments of the United Republic of Tanzania and the Republic of Zambia. TAZARA is incorporated by the Acts of Parliament of the two contracting sovereign states, with its Head Office located in Dar es Salaam in the United Republic of Tanzania. It has two regional offices one based in Mpika Zambia and the other in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. TAZARA is a railway line linking the Southern Africa Regional transport network to Eastern Africa, Asia and the Far East through the seaport of Dar es Salaam. It provides the shortest route to the middle and far East for landlocked Zambia through the seaport of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania via New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia, at which road and railway inter-connectivity is available to the rest of Southern Africa and other parts of Zambia, including the Copperbelt region and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The smooth interconnectivity especially with the Southern and Central Africa Railway networks is achieved because TAZARA uses a cape gauge that is 1067mm. TAZARA handles both freight and passenger services with design capacity of 5 million tones of Freight  per annum.

The passenger train offers an opportunity to enjoy the tourist attractions along the line as it passes through game reserves. Additionally beautiful views of 22 tunnels, 320 bridges can be enjoyed throughout the journey. The railway line covers a total distance of 1,860km from Dar es Salaam to New Kapiri Mposhi with 975 km on the Tanzanian side.