BREAKING : Botswana restarts train to Zimbabwe

An express train run by Botswana Railways has restarted its service between the border town of Francistown and Zimbabwe’s second city of Bulawayo.

Botswana’s government tweeted the announcement earlier:

HELLO ZIM |Botswana Railways wishes to advise its valued customers and the general public that with effect from today (20/12/17) the passenger train service will be extended to Bulawayo. pic.twitter.com/YnPnpXjTOC

— Botswana Government (@BWGovernment) 20 December 2017

According to Zimbabwe’s state-run Herald newspaper, the service was stopped in the early 2000s when the Zimbabwean economy nose-dived.

It quotes National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) public relations manager Nyasha Maravanyika as saying he was confident the service would prove popular.
” It is going to help in terms of tourism as some people will come to Francistown and connect to Bulawayo and Victoria Falls.

They can use the railway network as NRZ already has a running train connecting the areas. It will also be convenient for small and medium enterprises businesses or the cross border traders as they can use the train for convenience purposes especially at the Plumtree border post.”

The passenger train will depart Francistown at 0700hrs and arrive in Bulawayo at 1230hrs. Upon return, the train will depart Bulawayo at 1415hrs and arrive in Francistown at 1945hrs.