What You Need to Know
Heavy rains in Dar es Salaam have caused significant delays in Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) services, stranding passengers at Magufuli Station. Tanzania Railways Corporation confirmed that no departures occurred from morning until mid-day due to technical challenges. Engineers are currently inspecting the railway to ensure safety before resuming operations.
Africa-Press – Tanzania. Passengers using the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) were left waiting for hours at Magufuli Station in Dar es Salaam today Sunday December 28, 2025, after services were delayed due to technical challenges caused by heavy rains.
Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) director general Machibya Masanja confirmed that no SGR departures had taken place from morning until mid-day, leaving ticket-holding passengers stranded at the station.
Mr Masanja said the persistent rains had triggered technical faults, prompting engineers to halt operations temporarily to allow for inspections and repairs.
“Due to the ongoing rains, technical challenges have emerged and our engineers are working to resolve them. The trips will resume shortly. This situation is beyond our control as the rains have affected our systems,” he said.
He noted that the most severe impact of the rains had been on the old metre gauge railway (MGR), where infrastructure damage had been recorded, including to bridges in Gulwe, Dodoma Region, and Kilosa, Morogoro Region.
With regard to the SGR, Mr Masanja said the impact was minimal but stressed that safety considerations had necessitated the suspension of services until thorough inspections were completed.
“We cannot allow trains to operate without first confirming that the tracks are safe. Detailed inspections are under way, and services will only resume once we are fully satisfied,” he said.
He urged passengers to remain patient and to continue trusting the corporation, emphasising that safety remained the top priority.
“Our goal is to provide reliable, safe and high-quality transport. Once inspections are completed, SGR services will continue as usual,” he said, adding that efforts were also ongoing to restore operations on the old railway affected by the rains.
The Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Tanzania is a major infrastructure project aimed at improving transportation efficiency across the country. Since its inception, the SGR has faced various challenges, including weather-related disruptions that can impact service reliability. The recent heavy rains have highlighted the vulnerability of railway infrastructure to extreme weather events, necessitating ongoing maintenance and safety inspections to ensure passenger safety and operational integrity.
Historically, Tanzania’s railway system has evolved from the colonial era, with significant investments made in recent years to modernize and expand services. The SGR is part of a broader effort to提升
