New railway opens new era in Ethiopia

ADDIS ABABA — Yusuf Abera still remembers his trips on Ethiopia’s old railway during its last years in active service. They were hardly pleasant journeys, as trains were slow, noisy and often disrupted by mechanical glitches.

“It often broke down in the middle of a trip, and we had to wait for hours until it was repaired,” said the 47-yearold.

It was only in 2018 when Abera switched back to trains, this time thanks to the opening of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway, or Ethiopia-Djibouti Standard Gauge Rail, the first transnational electrified railway in Africa.

Waiting in the spacious, modernized hall of the Lebu Station in Addis Ababa, Abera compared the Chinesebuilt new railway with the almost defunct old rail line and other travel options like bus and airplane.

“It (the new railway) is safe and you don’t have to worry about accidents or any other inconveniences,” he said. “The comfort is almost similar to airplane service ... and it is financially more convenient than flight.”

The 752-kilometer railway links Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa and the Red Sea nation of Djibouti. It is one of the many infrastructure projects built and funded by China that have sprung up on the African continent in recent years.

Ethiopia’s travelers are quick to relish the new railway’s comfort and reasonable fees. According to China Railway Group Limited, one of its builders and operators, the line transported 11,600 passengers in April, up from 4,400 in January when it commenced commercial service, suggesting its fastgrowing popularity among Ethiopians.

Landlocked Ethiopia relies on the seaports of Djibouti for 95 percent of its import and export commodities. The railway is expected to reduce Ethiopia’s import costs and expand its exports.

The railway is also at the center of Ethiopia’s industrialization drive, as the government hopes to attract investment to the industrial parks along the line and boost their production by offering more efficient transportation.

Mertneshi Desta, who lives in Addis Ababa, now takes the train to visit her husband working in Djibouti.

Desta is excited about the new train service, which charges 2,000 Ethiopian birr (about $72) for a round trip to Djibouti. In comparison, the cheapest round-trip flight to Djibouti costs about 3,400 birr.

“In the past, I flew to meet my husband once every three months . ... Since the train service started, I’ve taken the train every month to visit him.”