Tanzania and Burundi have officially begun construction of a long-awaited railway corridor that will connect Burundi’s mineral-rich interior to the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam. The 282-kilometer electrified line, built by China Railway Group, represents a major step forward in East Africa’s transport integration.
Valued at $2.15 billion, the project is expected to dramatically cut cargo transit times. What currently takes up to four days by truck will be reduced to just one day by rail once the line becomes operational by 2030.
For landlocked Burundi, the corridor is especially significant. The country has long struggled to move its gold, tin, tantalum, and rare earth minerals efficiently across rough road networks. The new railway promises to open faster export routes and unlock greater economic potential.
The project is part of the broader Central Corridor initiative, which seeks to connect East African countries through modern rail infrastructure. Alongside Tanzania’s wider Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) program, the line is expected to strengthen regional trade and reduce dependence on costly road transport.
International financing, including support from the African Development Bank, has been key to moving the project forward. Construction is expected to take about five years, with trains expected to begin running around 2030–2031.
Once complete, the Burundi–Tanzania corridor will not only reduce costs and transport delays but also mark a milestone in East Africa’s long-term efforts to modernize trade routes and link economies more closely together.
