Tan-Zam railway

railway, Tanzania-Zambia

Also known as: Great Uhuru railway, TAZARA railway, Tanzam railway(Show More)

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July 14, 2026

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The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) railway, also known as the Tan-Zam railway, is a 1,060-mile (1,710-km) rail line that connects Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with Kapiri Mposhi, Zambia. Built with Chinese aid and completed in 1976, it was intended to provide Zambia, a landlocked country, with a crucial outlet for its exports, particularly copper. The railway links with an older line at Kapiri Mposhi. Despite its strategic importance, the Tan-Zam railway has faced challenges, including congestion at the port of Dar es Salaam and issues with track and rolling stock, which have affected its traffic volume. Political changes in southern Africa have also led to increased use of southern transport routes, lessening the reliance on the Tan-Zam line.12

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Tanzania
Transportation
The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) rail line, running between Dar es Salaam and Kapiri-Mposhi on the Zambian border, was built with Chinese aid in the early 1970s. It provided the main outlet to the sea for Zambia’s copper exports prior to the political changes in South…
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The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) rail line, running between Dar es Salaam and Kapiri-Mposhi on the Zambian border, was built with Chinese aid in the early 1970s. It provided the main outlet to the sea for Zambia’s copper exports prior to the political changes in South…
Read More

Zambia
Transportation and telecommunications
…in building the 1,060-mile (1,710-km) Tan-Zam railway, completed in 1976. The railway, which links with the older railway at Kapiri Mposhi, has not carried the projected volume of traffic, owing partly to congestion at the port of Dar es Salaam and partly to problems with track and rolling stock.
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…in building the 1,060-mile (1,710-km) Tan-Zam railway, completed in 1976. The railway, which links with the older railway at Kapiri Mposhi, has not carried the projected volume of traffic, owing partly to congestion at the port of Dar es Salaam and partly to problems with track and rolling stock.
Read More