Kigoma. President Samia Suluhu Hassan has officially launched the construction of the sixth phase of Tanzania’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), a 506-kilometre line linking Tabora and Kigoma that is expected to transform transport, trade and regional connectivity across western Tanzania.
The President laid the foundation stone for the project in Kigoma on Monday July 20, 2026, describing it as another milestone in the government’s drive to modernise the country’s transport infrastructure and strengthen economic integration with neighbouring countries.
The railway section from Tabora to Kigoma will cost Sh6.3 trillion (about $2.7 billion).
A further Sh3.17 trillion will be invested in the Uvinza-Msongati railway linking Tanzania and Burundi. Both projects are scheduled for completion by 2030.
The new railway is expected to reduce travel time between Dar es Salaam and Kigoma from more than 20 hours to about eight hours.
It will also improve freight movement between the Port of Dar es Salaam and the Lake Tanganyika corridor.
According to the government, construction has already progressed beyond 10 per cent. The project is expected to create about 15,000 jobs for residents of Kigoma and Tabora during the construction phase.
The railway will strengthen Tanzania’s role as a gateway for trade with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi and other countries in the Great Lakes region by providing faster and more reliable transport for both passengers and cargo.
Speaking during the launch, Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) Director General Machibya Shiwa said the project includes 411 kilometres of the main railway line and 95 kilometres of passing loops.
He said construction has been divided into several sections to allow multiple contractors to work simultaneously and speed up implementation.
China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) is the main contractor, while Dar Al-Handasah is serving as the consulting engineer.
The project also includes the construction of 27 major bridges, 75 minor bridges and 475 box culverts.
Mr Shiwa said the railway would be built to the same technical standards as the rest of Tanzania’s electrified SGR network, ensuring seamless operations from Dar es Salaam to Kigoma.
Passenger trains will operate at speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour, while freight trains will travel at up to 120 kilometres per hour.
He added that dedicated crossing points would be built along the railway to improve public safety.
New stations will be constructed at Urambo, Uvinza and Kigoma. Kigoma Station will become the country’s fourth-largest SGR station after Dar es Salaam, Dodoma and Mwanza.
Mr Shiwa also said construction of the Malagarasi River Bridge had reached an advanced stage, with its main pillars already completed, paving the way for faster implementation of the railway project.
Transport Minister Prof Makame Mbarawa said the railway forms part of a broader investment programme aimed at making Kigoma a major transport and logistics hub connecting East and Central Africa.
He said the Sixth Phase Government has invested heavily in railways, ports, airports and lake transport to establish an integrated transport network linking all regions of Tanzania with neighbouring countries.
Prof Mbarawa said the railway complements other major projects launched in Kigoma on Monday, including the construction of four cargo vessels for Lake Tanganyika and a new passenger and cargo berth at Kigoma Port.
He said the combined investments would improve transport efficiency, lower logistics costs and stimulate trade between Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi.
The minister also noted that the government is upgrading Kigoma Airport at a cost of Sh51.4 billion.
The works include a new passenger terminal, an air traffic control tower, runway improvements, airfield lighting and other supporting infrastructure.
According to Prof Mbarawa, integrating rail, port, lake and air transport will create a seamless logistics system capable of accelerating economic growth and attracting new investment to western Tanzania.
The Tabora-Kigoma line represents the final western extension of Tanzania’s Central Corridor SGR network.
The electrified railway is being developed in phases from Dar es Salaam through Morogoro, Dodoma and Tabora, with branches extending to Mwanza and now Kigoma.
Once completed, the line will provide a continuous high-speed railway connection from the Indian Ocean coast to Lake Tanganyika, significantly improving regional trade and reducing transport costs.
The project is also expected to strengthen the competitiveness of the Port of Dar es Salaam by enabling cargo to move more quickly to inland markets.
Combined with the expansion of Kigoma Port and new lake transport services, it will position western Tanzania as a strategic gateway to the Great Lakes region, where growing trade with eastern DRC and Burundi is expected to generate increased demand for efficient transport and logistics services.
