Remember those traffic nightmares on the Kampala-Mukono route? Well, they’re about to become a thing of the past. The Uganda Railway Cooperation is extending its passenger train services all the way to Mukono. This means commuters can now wave goodbye to those lengthy two-hour road trips.
“The extension of the service would significantly reduce the time spent commuting between Kampala and Mukono,” stated Andrew Muguluma, a big shot at Uganda Railway Cooperation. He said the train will zoom through the same distance in a mere 30 to 40 minutes.
The Kampala-Namanve line, which got a makeover in 2023, is back in action, it reopened this year on May 1st, and it’s been a hit with passengers ever since. Right now, four trips run daily, carrying around 1,600 passengers, each paying just UGX 2,000.
The decision to extend the train service came after a bit of a hiccup. Remember that swampy situation near Kinawataka? The one that caused a temporary halt to services in September? Well, the URC crew worked tirelessly to fix the tracks and make sure everything was safe and sound.
And guess what? They’re not stopping there! The URC has big plans for the future. They want to expand the train service even further, reaching all the way to Masaka. Imagine how much easier it will be to travel across Uganda.
This is all part of a bigger plan to make trains the go-to transportation choice in the country. After all, who wants to be stuck in traffic all day anyway?
Speaking of big plans, Uganda has teamed up with Kenya, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo on a super exciting project, the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). This railway is going to connect several East African countries, making travel and trade a whole lot easier.
Uganda is set to start building its part of the SGR between Malaba and Kampala by September 2024, as long as they have the money for it. They’re currently ironing out the details with the construction company, Yapi Merkezi.
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The Uganda Railway Cooperation, which is part of the Ministry of Works and Transport, is the big boss when it comes to trains, ships, and roads in Uganda. They’re responsible for making sure things run smoothly for both people and goods travelling within the country and beyond.
