Whilst many European cities are still struggling to secure the necessary funding to expand their tram and light rail networks, a country in Africa has already approved one of the most ambitious urban rail projects on the continent.
The Zimbabwean government has given the green light to the Harare light rail project, an investment estimated at EUR 3 billion, aimed at developing a modern light rail network in the capital, Harare.
The first line will run along the capital’s east–west axis, linking the city centre with the western district of Kuwadzana. In subsequent phases, the network will be extended eastwards towards the airport and the Mabvuku neighbourhood; southwards towards the Harare South industrial area and the town of Chitungwiza; and northwards and north-westwards towards the suburb of Borrowdale and the new administrative centre at Mt Hampden.
Phase one: 30 km of track on a viaduct
The first phase of the project, developed by Harare Light Rail (Private) Limited, involves the construction of a 30.4 km line, built entirely on a viaduct, with an estimated cost of USD 775 million. The works are expected to take approximately three years, after which the other four phases will begin, extending the system across the entire metropolitan area.
One point of interest is the chosen technological solution. The trains will be battery-powered, with the batteries charged via a solar-powered charging infrastructure. During the design phase, options involving hydrogen or liquefied natural gas (LNG) were also analysed, but the authorities opted for battery technology.
According to estimates, the line will initially carry over 350,000 passengers a day, and once the project’s three phases are complete, it will carry over 1 million passengers a day.
The new system is designed to reduce road congestion, cut journey times and create thousands of jobs both during the construction phase and once the system is operational.
Given the scale of the investment and the size of the planned network, the Harare light rail project ranks among the most significant urban rail transport projects approved in recent years in Africa. If implemented as planned, the project could transform Harare into a benchmark for urban mobility in sub-Saharan Africa and demonstrates that major investments in urban rail infrastructure are no longer the preserve of major European capitals.
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