Tanzania has entered a major partnership with South Korea's Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) to transform its national railway system as part of its Development Vision 2050. The agreement positions KORAIL as the lead technical partner driving the modernisation of Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) across key transit routes. The partnership centres on Tanzania's Central Corridor Standard Gauge Railway project, which connects the Indian Ocean coast to the Great Lakes Region. President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan launched the 506-kilometre Tabora-to-Kigoma section in July 2026.
Within the first six months of operation, the railway safely transported 1.17 million passengers and generated over 30 billion shillings in revenue, according to Ministry of Transport officials. The modern electric freight trains can carry up to 10,000 tons of cargo per trip, equivalent to removing 500 heavy trucks from roads. The system maintains an on-time performance rate exceeding 85 per cent, enabling TRC to achieve financial independence from government subsidies for the first time in 13 years.
South Korea is transferring its operational expertise through multiple channels. KORAIL has deployed 13 elite operational experts to Tanzania and drafted core regulations and maintenance manuals for TRC. From 2022 to 2024, intensive five-month training programmes in South Korea built capacity among TRC's engineering staff across railway administration, safety management and locomotive engineering. Korean authorities have also established academic exchange partnerships allowing Tanzanian engineers to study at leading South Korean universities.
The partnership is funded through South Korea's Economic Development Co-operation Fund loans and Official Development Assistance grants. These support a maintenance facility at Pugu Station, safety systems and track maintenance technology. KORAIL operates South Korea's national rail network, which runs 69 high-speed stations, 267 conventional stations and 275 metro stations, achieving a 99.46 per cent punctuality rate. The company also implements Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives in Tanzania, including establishing an electronic library at Leena Primary School in Morogoro.