Guinea's Simandou railway moves closer to passenger services

Guinea's President Mamadi Doumbouya made an inaugural passenger train journey on the Transguinean Railway on Monday, offering a first glimpse of how the Simandou mining corridor could also serve communities and businesses along its route.

Built to carry iron ore from the four Simandou mining blocks in southeastern Guinea to the port of Morebaya, the railway will also accommodate passengers and other freight.

As part of Guinea's Simandou 2040 program to diversify the economy and modernize infrastructure, the railway, developed with Chinese participation, is expected to deliver benefits beyond mining by connecting inland communities to the coast, helping farmers reach markets, easing the movement of goods and supporting tourism.

Doumbouya traveled aboard a four-carriage train with government officials, diplomats, local leaders and executives from CTG, the joint venture operating Simandou's railway and port infrastructure.

While mineral exports remain the railway's main purpose, authorities intend to gradually introduce passenger services.

"All along the route of the double-track Transguinean, modern stations will be built to offer users an accessible, affordable and quality service, in accordance with the best international standards," the official statement released by the Presidency said.

"The commissioning of this railway line should mark the beginning of a new era for transport, but also for the trade and agriculture sectors in Guinea," the statement said.

A key highlight of the journey was the passage through an 11.6-kilometer tunnel in the Oure Kaba area.

The scale of construction is evident across the main line, which spans 205 bridges and four tunnels. The Colomo II viaduct, between Kassa and Oure Kaba, extends more than 2.1 km across 64 spans, making it the longest bridge on the route.

Another viaduct in the Oure Kaba area has piers reaching 64 meters, the highest on the network. The main line also includes 1,170 culverts, 26 wildlife passages and 29 overpasses carrying roads across the tracks.

Construction has brought together Guinea and its industrial partners, with Guinean workers contributing skills in keeping with the government's efforts to increase local participation in the project.