Restoring ‘northern express’ good for local tourism

-Dar es Salaam and Moshi as well as from Tanga from late last year and now the revamping of the railway has reached Arusha. And it comes as good news to the tourism industry, looking for ways to entice visitors to the northern circuit.

The coming of age of the revamping of railways is a sign that the slogan of a ‘new Tanzania’ is actually making headway in many areas – really most areas – as current reconstruction is having an easily perceptible impact in which ever sector one may choose to single out. This revamping of the railway would have in other periods have been an earth moving spectacle, but with the standard gauge setting new vision and standards in the sector, the refurbishing of the northern railway – and soon enough, a vast improvement of the Tanzania-Zambia railway, is beginning to look ordinary. Those are new standards.

That is why is was easy to comprehend the sort of excitement that was noticed in the tourist city as the passenger train arrives for a trial run. And those who know its importance were on the spot to be counted among the witnesses. In an electioneering period, it was inevitable that with the maiden passenger train voyage embarking from Moshi to Arusha, politics just had to chip in. The hand on CCM publicity chief Humphrey Polepole joined the travelers on board the train run, using the platform to remind the voters of just what the fifth phase government is demonstrating each passing day. There was predictably no dissent.

Days are now gone when vandals would be rulers of the rail track between Tanga, Moshi and Arusha, and indeed there were plans to extent the railway to Musoma especially for inland trade with landlocked countries. The building of standard gauge railway lines in both Kenya and Tanzania changed the picture somewhat for this scenario but another is coming up, as to just how far a trans-tourism line from Tanga to Arusha and eventually to Musoma might look like. There was a lot of opposition to building a road through the Serengeti National Park in particular, but a train is more environmental friendly, even then.

It is also possible the railway and tourism authorities could think of linking the various game parks around the country to major rail networks, for instance the old central line and then the Tanga line or northern line for that matter. These lines are now earmarked as feeder networks from the major line, the standard gauge enterprise, but if concessions are issued for use and stretching railway networks further, it is possible all national parks and game reserves can be traversed across with railway carriages of a special sort, to organize round trips for a fraction of bus fares and without the cramping. Local mass tourism could be ignited from there, especially during school and college holidays for a start, or youth groups.

We have so far succeeded in raising tourist interest in the northern circuit but other areas have often been left for hunters, like the vast Selous Game Reserve now split into a park and a reserve. More is still possible.