DAR ES SALAAM, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) on Friday announced suspension of cross-border passenger trains between Tanzania and Zambia over the COVID-19 pandemic.
A statement issued by TAZARA head of communication Conrad Simuchile said Mukuba and Kilimanjaro passenger trains will no longer cross the border between Tanzania and Zambia with effect from March 30, until further notice.
"The trains will instead continue to run within the respective boundaries of the two countries," said the statement.
However, said the statement, freight train operations are not affected by this change.
"This adjustment in passenger train operations is as a consequence of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent measures taken by the governments of Tanzania and Zambia in the effort to control the spread of the virus," said the statement.
TAZARA was constructed as a turnkey project between 1970 and 1975 through an interest-free loan from China, with commercial operations starting in July 1976, covering 1,860 km from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia.
