Addis Ababa's first light railway comes online

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia

Addis Ababa’s $475-million light railway project became operational on Sunday following a colorful inauguration ceremony.

According to Getachew Betru, CEO of the Ethiopian Railway Corporation, the new railway is capable of transporting up to 60,000 people each day.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency during the maiden trip, Getachew said the railway – built by the Chinese Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC) – stretched some 35 kilometers across the eastern, western and northern parts of the city, which hosts the headquarters of both the African Union and the Economic Commission for Africa.

On Sunday, Ethiopian Transport Minister Workineh Gebeyehu and CREC representative Zhang Zongyan both cut the ribbon marking the railway’s formal inauguration.

According to Workineh, the railway offers a cheaper, faster and safer mode of transport for residents of the capital, with minimum and maximum fares ranging between two and six birr (from about $0.10 to $0.30).

Workineh noted, however, that revenues collected from passenger fares would not be enough to cover the total cost of construction.

“It’s hugely subsidized,” he said, pointing out that the Ethiopian government planned to spend up to $1.5 billion on subsidies for the railway’s operations.

The part of the project that became operational on Sunday accounts for half of the railway’s total length. The remainder will become operational over the next two months, according to rail officials.

Asked about the city’s erratic power supply, Workineh said this had been addressed by providing the railway with its own dedicated power source.

Peter Olaseni Akinwumni, rail project manager for the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, who also spoke to Anadolu Agency during the maiden commute, described the new railway as “a remarkable achievement”.

“Not only Ethiopia, but all of Africa needs such a railway network, which is cheaper and accommodates many people at once – the way other modes of transport cannot,” he said.