Luanda Railway

railway, Angola

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June 30, 2026

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The Luanda Railway is a significant transportation link in Angola, connecting the capital city of Luanda to Malanje, a distance of 378 miles (608 km). This railway, nationalized in 1918, historically relied on coffee and cotton for its traffic.12

Angola's transportation infrastructure, including its railways, has been severely impacted by civil war and a lack of maintenance. While sections of the Luanda Railway have undergone repairs and some have reopened since the end of the war in 2002, its functionality has been episodic due to wartime disruptions. The country's railways, including the Luanda, Benguela, and Namibe lines, are undergoing reconstruction efforts to improve connectivity.2

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Angola
Railways
The Luanda Railway, which was nationalized in 1918, depended on coffee and cotton for its traffic. The Namibe Railway, which has been owned by the state from the outset, depended on the shipment of iron ore. Both railways have functioned only episodically since independence, owing to…
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The Luanda Railway, which was nationalized in 1918, depended on coffee and cotton for its traffic. The Namibe Railway, which has been owned by the state from the outset, depended on the shipment of iron ore. Both railways have functioned only episodically since independence, owing to…
Read More