Abuja-Kaduna Train Service To Resume Operations July 29 – FG

After months of being shut down to prevent the spread of the dreaded coronavirus pandemic, the Federal Government has announced that the Abuja-Kaduna train service would resume operations on Wednesday, July 29.

Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation, made the announcement on Saturday while test running the new coaches recently deployed on the route.

“We will resume the Abuja-Kaduna train service on Wednesday, July 29,” said Amaechi.

On concerns raised about a possible hike in the train service fares, the transportation minister said after due considerations, President Muhammadu Buhari, agreed that the fare be reviewed to accommodate well-meaning Nigerians.

He said the fare for the economy class was reviewed to N3000 and the Business class, N6000.

According to Amaechi, most passengers are of the opinion that the fare was nothing compared to the risk of kidnappers on the road.

He, however, said measures were already in place to ensure all safety precautions were taken to curtail the spread of COVID-19 to citizens.

“We are ready, it is just a matter of calling the essential staff in the station, we have been checking the coaches and warming the locomotives, so we are ready to go,” Fidet Okhiria, the Managing Director, Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) said, confirming the corporation’s readiness for Wednesday’s resumption.

On the frequency of trips on the route, Okhiria said the plan was to get it to 14 trips per day as against the initial eight.

He said for Wednesday, however, only eight trips would be embarked on because of the introduction of the Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU), 10 new coaches and two locomotives that have arrived.

“So the DMU are still on their way from Lagos to Abuja and we have to adjust, don’t forget the ticket for the DMU is not the same as the ordinary coaches so we have to adjust and have those tickets.

“The E-ticket has been approved but it will take time of up to three months for it to come to the doorsteps.

“While we are doing that, the best move is to be giving out the hard copy of the ticket before the e-ticket starts.

“The fare is not going to be so different from the former, though it will depend on the pleasure that you want.

“For trips that will take off from Kaduna straight to Abuja non-stop, it will be higher than those that will stop at the five stations.

“There are different coaches now coming in, some will take 24 passengers, some 56, others 68 and 88 depending on the pleasure that you want.”