Sudan Rail Group: project at a glance

Sudan Rail Group is a Canadian-Sudanese company focused on the rehabilitation, operation and long-term development of Sudan’s railway system.

The company is working on the rehabilitation and operation of the Port Sudan to Khartoum railway corridor, linking Sudan’s principal Red Sea port with the capital and major inland markets.

The corridor forms part of Sudan’s historic national railway network and is intended to support both passenger and freight transportation.

Existing public railway assets remain owned by the Government of Sudan and Sudan Railways Corporation.

The project does not involve the sale of the railway or the transfer of public ownership of the underlying railway assets.

The proposed arrangement is a long-term concession and lease for the rehabilitation and operation of railway services.

It is not a sale of the railway. Public ownership of the infrastructure and core railway assets remains protected.

The planned transition to railway operations is expected to take place in stages, beginning with a period of technical due diligence, asset inspection, workforce planning and operational preparation.

Initial operations are targeted for 2027, subject to the completion of the required approvals, preparations and operating arrangements.

The initial project focuses on the Port Sudan to Khartoum corridor, a route of approximately 1,000 kilometres.

The railway uses Sudan’s established 1,067 millimetre (Cape) gauge.

The corridor connects:

• Port Sudan and the Red Sea
• Haya and eastern Sudan
• Atbara, Sudan’s historic railway centre
• Khartoum and the central Sudanese market

The initial operating target is approximately 1 million tonnes of freight per year.

This would include agricultural products, cement, industrial materials, food and consumer goods, fuel-related cargoes, construction materials and other essential commodities.

As track, bridges, workshops, locomotives and operating systems are progressively restored, the railway could support substantially higher freight volumes. Medium-term planning considers the potential for several million tonnes per year on the main corridor.

A functioning railway can move large volumes of goods using fewer vehicles than road transport.

For Sudan, improved rail freight could:

• Reduce pressure on long-distance roads
• Lower the number of trucks required to move essential goods
• Improve access to Port Sudan for inland markets
• Support agricultural and industrial production
• Reduce vehicle wear and road maintenance requirements
• Provide a more reliable transport option during fuel shortages
• Improve the movement of food, cement, construction materials and other essential goods

At the initial target of 1 million tonnes per year, the railway would be moving the equivalent of many thousands of truckloads annually.

Passenger services are expected to be reintroduced in stages.

The initial service would focus on providing a reliable connection between Khartoum, Atbara, Port Sudan and communities along the corridor.

The objective is to offer an affordable alternative to long-distance bus travel, while improving safety, reliability and access to essential services.

Passenger operations would be expanded as rolling stock, workshops, stations and track infrastructure are restored.

The project is based on a phased rehabilitation model.

Initial work will focus on restoring safe and practical operations, including:

• Track and bridge inspections
• Drainage and earthworks
• Removal of obstructions and vegetation
• Repairs to stations, workshops and railway facilities
• Locomotive and wagon inspections
• Restoration of signalling, communications and operating systems
• Improved railway stores and spare-parts management
• Training and deployment of operating and maintenance teams

The approach is intended to restore useful service progressively rather than waiting for every part of the railway system to be rebuilt at once.

Sudan Railways Corporation has a large body of experienced railway personnel with knowledge of track, locomotives, workshops, operations, signalling, stations and railway administration.

The project is intended to make use of Sudanese railway expertise while adding technical, operational and management support where required.

Training, skills transfer and the development of local management and maintenance capacity are central parts of the proposed operating model.

Railway rehabilitation is expected to create direct and indirect employment in:

• Track and bridge rehabilitation
• Locomotive and wagon maintenance
• Workshop construction and repair
• Station rehabilitation
• Operations and train crew
• Engineering and technical services
• Procurement and logistics
• Security, cleaning and facilities management
• Local construction and support services

The railway can also support economic activity in communities along the corridor by improving access to markets, employment, education, health care and essential goods.

Sudan Rail Group brings together Sudanese railway and business experience with Canadian and international expertise in railway operations, infrastructure, finance, project management, logistics and public transportation.

The objective is to combine local knowledge of Sudan’s railway system and operating environment with international standards for safety, asset management, commercial planning and accountability.

The project is intended to support the restoration of a nationally important public service.

A more reliable railway can contribute to:

• Lower transport costs
• Improved food and commodity distribution
• Better connections between eastern and central Sudan
• Increased access to Port Sudan
• Support for industrial and agricultural activity
• Reduced dependence on road transport
• New employment and training opportunities
• The long-term recovery of Sudan’s railway system

Sudan’s railway was once one of the most important transport systems in Africa and played a central role in connecting the country’s ports, cities, agricultural areas and industrial centres.

The current project is intended to help restore that role through practical rehabilitation, improved management and the gradual return of dependable passenger and freight services.

Sudan Rail Group’s objective is to help rebuild a railway that remains publicly owned, commercially viable, operationally reliable and useful to the people and economy of Sudan.