Passengers buy tickets at a train station in Kampala, Uganda, May 2, 2024. (Photo: Xinhua)

 

Passengers pose for photos at a train station in Kampala, Uganda, May 2, 2024.(Photo: Xinhua)

 
Uganda has resumed passenger train services in parts of the capital city Kampala following a year of renovation work.

A locomotive pulling five coaches, with a capacity of carrying up to 800 passengers, now operates four trips per day -- two in the morning and two in the evening. The fare for a trip is 2,000 Ugandan shillings (about 50 U.S. cents), an increase from the previous 1,000 shillings.

The renovation of the Kampala-Namanve 25 km meter gauge railway line has focused on fixing deadly spots and broken sections.

The government said the resumption of passenger train service was a solution to the city's traffic gridlock. A 2017 World Bank study estimated that traffic jams cost Uganda more than 800 million U.S. dollars annually in lost gross domestic product, attributed to lost productivity, wasted fuel and increased emissions.

Milly Akanga, a train passenger, said that traveling by train saves her time spent in traffic jams on the road to the capital. She noted that using the train takes her about 20 minutes, compared to an hour by road.

"We want to alleviate the problem and stress people face with road transport. Our roads are still highly congested, and people spend a lot of time in traffic jams for short distances. With the train service, it will be far smoother and faster. It is a worthwhile endeavor," said Minister of Works and Transport Katumba Wamala.