TAZARA is gateway to the Eastern, Central and Southern African business markets covering both the SADC and COMESA regional groupings, runs from the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to the town of New Kapiri Mposhi in Central Zambia where it links with the existing Zambia Railways System. The gauge of the line is same at 1067 millimeters (three and half feet) as that of Zambia Railways as well as all the other main trunk lines in Central and Southern Africa. Excellent, this is the really Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority, your preferred Transporter.
TAZARA operates two pairs of cross-boarder express passenger trains every week between the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and the midland town of New Kapiri-Mposhi in Zambia. The two express trains are known by the names of Kilimanjaro Express and the Mukuba Express and are operated by the Tanzanian and Zambian Regions, respectively. Tanzania caterers provide services on the Kilimanjaro while Zambian caterers provide similar services on the Mukuba. It takes approximately 46 hours to travel from Dar es Salaam to New Kapiri Mposhi. But this should not be a bother as the scenery through which the line passes is picturesque as passengers have the rare treat of viewing a variety of game including giraffes, zebras, leopards, bush pigs, waterbucks, hippos, buffaloes, elephants, impalas, sables and many more. When passing through the tunnels and crossing rivers and gorges, it also provides the passengers a chance to appreciate the inspirational engineering employed by the Chinese during construction of the line. Express trains are recommended for international passengers as they have facilities for comfort and only stop at major stations of Dar es Salaam, Ifakara, Mlimba, Makambako, Mbeya and Tunduma on the Tanzania n side and New Kapiri Mposhi, Mkushi, Serenje, Mpika, Kasama, Chozi and Nakonde on the Zambian side. Ordinary Trains
Besides the express trains, TAZARA also operates two ordinary passenger trains once weekly in each region. The ordinary trains do not cross the borders, but stop at every serviceable railway station in the respective regions of Tanzania and Zambia. In the Tanzania region, the ordinary train terminates at Mbeya, which is about 120 kilometres from the border town of Tunduma while on the Zambian side, the ordinary train operates between New Kapiri Mposhi and Nakonde. The classes of coaches are similar to the Express train except that these only have one dining car. The Ordinary trains stop at all stations.
Tourist and Special trains From time to time, TAZARA also run tourist and special trains for specific events, the most common being the tourist train to the Selous Game Reserve about 200 kilometres from Dar es Salaam, which is the largest unexploited wildlife area in Africa covering 54,000 square kilometers. TAZARA has been running special tourist trains through the great wilderness of the Selous on special occasions, particular during different religious holidays, new year time etc. Tour operators also use the regular passenger services for special tourist excursions to the Selous Game Reserve.
A tourist train operated by Rovos Rail of South Africa has been running on TAZARA from Cape Town bringing tourists to Tanzania through Zambia from all over the world.
