Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) is planning to expand passenger train services, with extensions to Kyengera, Port Bell and Jinja as it seeks to expand its rail network and provide commuters with more transport options in the country.
The corporation is also pursuing longer-term connections to Bujuuko, Entebbe and the Tororo-Soroti-Gulu corridor under a wider railway development programme estimated at $300 million (Shs1.12 trillion) over five years.
The developments come as the government’s 100-day crackdown on taxis in dangerous mechanical condition (DMC) across the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area enters its second week, worsening congestion on major routes into Kampala.
Kyengera, Port Bell routes
Immediate metropolitan expansion beyond the existing Kampala-Namanve-Mukono corridor will see extended passenger services between Kampala and Kyengera on Masaka Road, as well as a connection to Port Bell.
In an interview with this publication, Mr John Linnon Ssengendo, the URC public relations officer, said procurement for the expansion is already at the evaluation stage and, if a contract is signed this year, construction could take about 24 months.
‘The Kyengera project will include passenger hubs at Kyengera and Namanve, where commuters from surrounding areas will be able to park their vehicles before travelling into Kampala by train and pick them on return,’ he added.
Mr Ssengendo said the Kyengera and Port Bell projects form part of a wider railway infrastructure component supported by the African Development Bank, which will cover rehabilitation of railway infrastructure, improvement of stations and investment in rolling stock for passenger and freight services.
Other routes
On the eastern corridor, the corporation is preparing to introduce a passenger service between Kampala and Jinja. Mr Ssengendo said URC plans to run a trial service from Friday to Sunday before assessing the possibility of regular services.
‘The Jinja service is expected to initially operate on weekends, with a daily service considered once additional coaches and other facilities are available. We hope this will benefit mostly people who would like to have vacations or weekend tours,’ Mr Ssengendo noted.
He also said the extension towards Bujuuko on Mityana Road under a programme with the European Union (EU) envisages the introduction of electric multiple units to replace the diesel locomotives currently used to haul passenger coaches.
He said the corporation is also considering passenger services towards Entebbe as part of its longer-term plans to diversify rail routes from Kampala.
Further north, URC plans to introduce passenger services on the 375km Tororo-Soroti-Gulu corridor once rehabilitation works and supporting infrastructure are completed.
The corporation is also rehabilitating railway lines using concrete sleepers instead of steel ones.
The rehabilitation of the 375km metre-gauge line, undertaken with support from the EU, has faced changes in its completion schedule, having initially been expected to be completed in mid-2023 before the deadline was revised to February 2026 and later to October 2026.
Existing services expanded
While the new routes remain in the pipeline, URC has already increased services on the Kampala-Namanve-Mukono corridor.
Effective August 31, the Corporation introduced a lunchtime trip from Kampala to Mukono at 1.30pm and an additional evening trip to Mukono at 5.30pm.
The Corporation has also introduced an 85-seat executive coach, with passengers required to travel in seats and no standing allowed. The fare is Shs5,000 between Kampala and Mukono and Shs4,000 between Kampala and Namanve.
Under the revised timetable, a train leaves Mukono at 6.30am, stops at Namanve at 7.05am and arrives in Kampala at 7.40am. A morning return service leaves Kampala at 7.50am for Namanve, followed by another Namanve-Kampala service at 8.15am.
The newly introduced lunchtime service leaves Kampala at 1.30pm, reaches Namanve at 2pm and Mukono at 2.10pm before returning at 3pm. In the evening, a train leaves Kampala at 5.30pm for Namanve, followed by a Mukono-Kampala service at 6.30pm and another Kampala-Mukono service at 7.50pm.
Mr Ssengendo said the corporation could introduce further trips depending on passenger demand.
Crackdown tests rail capacity
The expansion comes as some commuters affected by congestion and the shortage of taxis look to rail transport as an alternative.
Ms Edith Nalukwago, a commuter from the Namboole-Kireka area, said travelling by road had become increasingly difficult, with some journeys covering relatively short distances taking up to two hours.
‘The government should put an emphasis on working on railways because it doesn’t have traffic and it reaches in time,’ Ms Nalukwago said.
Ms Gladys Ariho, who has been using the train, said road congestion had not significantly affected her because of her reliance on rail transport, although she had noticed what appeared to be an increase in passenger numbers since the crackdown began.
Mr Adam Muwayi, chairperson of the Namanve-Kireka railway area, said more people were beginning to recognise the benefits of rail transport.
However, URC is yet to establish the actual increase in passenger numbers attributable to the crackdown.
In addition to the 15 passenger coaches, Mr Stephen Wakasenza, the project coordinator for the AfDB Capacity Building Project at the URC, said 10 new locomotives for cargo services and 100 flatbeds are in the procurement process as it seeks to strengthen freight operations alongside passenger transport.
The planned extensions to Kyengera, Port Bell and Jinja, together with longer-term plans for Bujuuko, Entebbe and the Tororo-Soroti-Gulu corridor, would expand the railway network beyond the existing Kampala-Namanve-Mukono passenger corridor.
More coaches
The route expansion and increased trips are being accompanied by plans to increase URC’s passenger fleet.
URC spokesperson John Linnon Ssengendo said the corporation initially had five ordinary passenger coaches, with a train carrying between 600 and 700 passengers on a normal trip.
At an average load of 620 passengers, one train trip carries roughly the equivalent of 44 14-seater taxis.
URC is working to increase its fleet by about 15 coaches, with the first five expected to form part of the initial phase.
‘Two coaches are already being refurbished at the corporation’s Nalukolongo workshop. The additional coaches are partly intended to support URC’s preparations for the African Cup of Nations (Afcon), after which they are expected to remain available for passenger services,’ Mr Ssengendo noted.
He added: ‘Train offers a safer mode of transport; it is faster than the road and only takes a bit longer because we have so many stops. Otherwise, from Namanve to Kampala without stopping is only 12 minutes.’