Rail transport in Guinea
Encyclopedia
Guinea
has 1,086 km of railways. This includes 279 km at gauge
and 807 km at gauge. The latter includes 662 km in common carrier
service from Kankan
to Conakry
.
Currently operating in Guinea three different railway companies:
Into the following years all the rolling stock weren't maintained. Since 1993 with exception of fuel shipments to Mamou
the rail traffic is suspended.
In 2008, the government of Guinea was in talks with Rio Tinto
and BHP Billiton
about renovation of the Conakry-Kankan line.
In 2010 the brazilian company Vale began work on rebuilding the Conakry to Kankan railroad. As part of an agreement with the government of Guinea, Vale is investing to refurbish the railroad, which will transport passengers and general freight between capital city Conakry and Kankan in the east of the country. By rebuilding the railroad, Vale is contributing to the social and economic development of the African country, potentially creating thousands of jobs.
A major public transport development milestone was achieved in Guinea during June 2010 with the start of the Conakry Express. The Chinese International Funding (CIF) funded initiative has delivered a passenger rail transport system, The Conakry Express will hugely improve the movement of people through the 30 km long city.
There are no rail links with other countries.
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
has 1,086 km of railways. This includes 279 km at gauge
Rail gauge
Track gauge or rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the heads of the two load bearing rails that make up a single railway line. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a standard gauge of . Wider gauges are called broad gauge; smaller gauges, narrow gauge. Break-of-gauge refers...
and 807 km at gauge. The latter includes 662 km in common carrier
Common carrier
A common carrier in common-law countries is a person or company that transports goods or people for any person or company and that is responsible for any possible loss of the goods during transport...
service from Kankan
Kankan
Kankan is the largest city in Guinea in land area, and the third largest in population at 207,790 . The city is located on the Milo River in eastern Guinea and lying about 345 miles east of Conakry....
to Conakry
Conakry
Conakry is the capital and largest city of Guinea. Conakry is a port city on the Atlantic Ocean and serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea with a 2009 population of 1,548,500...
.
Currently operating in Guinea three different railway companies:
- Chemin de fer de Guinée (ONCFG),
- Chemins de fer de la Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée - Chemin de fer Conakry (CBG) and
- Chemin de fer de Boké.
The state owned railway line from Conakry to Kankan
In June 1959 was founded the state-owned railway company ONCFG (Office National des Chemins de Fer de Guinée). The property of the former French colonial Conakry-Niger rail authority has been transferred to it.Into the following years all the rolling stock weren't maintained. Since 1993 with exception of fuel shipments to Mamou
Mamou
Mamou is a city and sub prefecture in a valley of the Fouta Djallon area of Guinea. Population 76,269 .- History :It grew around the railway line from Conakry to Kankan and soon became the local administrative headquarters. Its main industry used to be until the 1990s decade meat processing, while...
the rail traffic is suspended.
In 2008, the government of Guinea was in talks with Rio Tinto
Rio Tinto Group
The Rio Tinto Group is a diversified, British-Australian, multinational mining and resources group with headquarters in London and Melbourne. The company was founded in 1873, when a multinational consortium of investors purchased a mine complex on the Rio Tinto river, in Huelva, Spain from the...
and BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
about renovation of the Conakry-Kankan line.
In 2010 the brazilian company Vale began work on rebuilding the Conakry to Kankan railroad. As part of an agreement with the government of Guinea, Vale is investing to refurbish the railroad, which will transport passengers and general freight between capital city Conakry and Kankan in the east of the country. By rebuilding the railroad, Vale is contributing to the social and economic development of the African country, potentially creating thousands of jobs.
A major public transport development milestone was achieved in Guinea during June 2010 with the start of the Conakry Express. The Chinese International Funding (CIF) funded initiative has delivered a passenger rail transport system, The Conakry Express will hugely improve the movement of people through the 30 km long city.
Mining companies railway links
Three railway lines are used to transport bauxite to the coast:- In the 1970s opened a 136 km long standard gauge railway link from KamsarPort KamsarKamsar is a port city in Guinea, West Africa. It is also a Sub-prefecture of Guinea. It is located on the mouth of the Río Nunez.- Transport :...
to BokéBokéBoké is the capital city of Boké Prefecture within the Boké Region of Lower Guinea near the border with Guinea-Bissau. It is also a sub-prefecture of Guinea. Located along the Rio Nuñez which flows to its not-too-distant mouth on the Atlantic Ocean, Boké is a port. It is known for the Fortin de...
. The route is operated by the CBG mining company. CBG transports 12 millions t of bauxite and minerals annually.
- The narrow gauge railway line Conakry - FriaFriaFria is a town and Sub-prefecture in Lower Guinea, lying north of Conakry near the Amaria dam on the Konkouré River. Population 110,586 . - Overview :...
(called CFCF = Chemin de fer Conakry – Fria) have a length of 143 km und is operated by the Russian aluminum giant RusAl (in 2006 acquired from Friguia SA). The route was built in the 1960s and are in good condition. Between Fria and Conakry transported more than 1 million of goods (600.000 t aluminate, 200.000 t petrolium products and 100.000 t caustic soda).
- The standard gauge railway line Conakry - KindiaKindiaKindia is the third largest city in Guinea, lying about 85 miles north east of the nation's capital Conakry.Population 181,126 . - Overview :...
have length of 105 km. The route is operated by the state owned mining company Societé des Bauxites de Kindia (SBK). The transport included the delivery of bauxite (annually 1,2 million t) from Kindia to Conakry harbour.
- Rio Tinto Limited plans to build a 650km railway to transport iron ore from the SimandouSimandouSimandou is a 110 km long range of hills located in the Nzérékoré Region of southeastern Guinea, in the country's mountainous, forested Guinée Forestière region...
mine to the coast, near MatakongMatakongMatakong is an island just off the coast of Guinea between the capital Conakry and the Sierra Leone border.- Transport :Matakong is the proposed port terminus of the heavy duty standard gauge Transguinean Railways linking large iron and bauxite deposits to the coast...
, for export.
There are no rail links with other countries.
External links
See also
- Railway stations in GuineaRailway stations in Guinea- Maps :* * * * * - also shows line parameters* - Northern line :This line is 1435 mm gauge and carries about 12 million tonnes per annum.* Port Kamsar - port* Boké* Sangarédi - bauxite mine- Central line :...
- Transport in Guinea