The Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) has confirmed plans to launch the passenger train service effective next month.
The Mukono – Kampala train route is expected to be functional effective November 1, 2024.
The development was brought to light by Andrew Muguluma the URC board member who doubles as chairperson at the Technical Committee at a media briefing on October 10, 2024.
The railway line has been under full renovation since April 2023 with the replacement of the old steel slippers with concrete ones.
This new route will be added as an extension to the existing Kampala – Namanve route to improve connectivity from Kampala city.
Muguluma said that the Mukono Kampala route will feature two morning and evening departures from Kampala noting that the service will improve as more coaches and locomotives are acquired.
“The fare to Namboole is going to be UGX 4000 and Namanve to Kampala will remain at UGX 2000. The routes are going to change abit and we shall run two trains with one leaving at 6:30 in Mukono and the other leaving at 6:30 in the morning. Watch out for the schedule, probably next two days but it will change slightly,” Muguluma said.
The Kampala-Namanve project is expected to impact transportation in Uganda by enhancing the efficiency and reliability of rail transport which has been underutilized.
The Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) was first launched in 1977 following the closure of the East African Community, which had previously managed railway services in the region. The URC was formed to take over the operations and assets of the East African Railways, which included rail services in Uganda and Kenya.
