The Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) is set to roll out freight services along the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) between Dar es Salaam and Dodoma, marking a major milestone in efforts to modernize Tanzania’s transport and logistics systems.
According to a public notice issued on Wednesday, the service will officially begin on June 27, 2025, covering the route from Pugu Station in Dar es Salaam to Ihumwa Station in Dodoma.
The development comes exactly one year after TRC launched its SGR passenger services on June 14, 2024 a service that has now transported more than 2.5 million passengers.
The launch of freight operations is expected to further ease pressure on road infrastructure and offer businesses a faster, safer, and more efficient alternative for moving goods.
Initially, one cargo train will operate daily, departing Pugu at 4:00 a.m., stopping briefly in Morogoro at 6:00 a.m. to allow passage for passenger trains, and arriving in Dodoma at 2:05 p.m. TRC said there are plans to scale up the number of freight trains and wagons to meet growing demand.
“This is an important step toward transforming how goods are transported in Tanzania,” the corporation said. “We encourage businesses, institutions, and logistics providers to take advantage of this new service.”
The freight launch reinforces the government’s broader strategy to reduce cargo traffic on roads, lower transport costs, and improve delivery timelines for goods destined for central Tanzania and beyond.
With the SGR infrastructure already supporting high-speed passenger movement, the addition of freight services is expected to bolster Tanzania’s ambitions to become a regional trade and logistics hub.