Construction has officially begun on East Africa’s first cross-border Standard Gauge Railway, a $2.15 billion project linking Uvinza in western Tanzania to Musongati in eastern Burundi. The 240-kilometer line will be fully electrified and built to international standard gauge by a consortium led by China Railway Engineering Group, with completion expected by 2030.
The railway is designed to strengthen regional trade and integration by giving landlocked Burundi direct access to the Indian Ocean through Tanzania’s transport network. Once operational, it is expected to move more than 1 million tonnes of cargo each year and carry over 3 million tonnes of minerals from Burundi, including nickel, cobalt, and lithium.
Under the construction plan, Tanzania will develop the section from Uvinza to Malagarasi, while Burundi will handle the stretch from Malagarasi to Gitega. A cross-border bridge will also be built to allow trains and vehicles to move between the two countries.
This project forms part of the East African Railway Master Plan, which seeks to expand modern railway connections across the region. When complete, it will become only the second electrified transnational railway on the continent, marking a major milestone for East African infrastructure and economic growth.