List of railway stations in Eritrea

Eritrean Railways at their greatest extension before WWII

This article is a list of the railway stations in Eritrea.
The Eritrean Railway originally ran from Massawa, a port on the Red Sea, via the capital Asmara to Agordat. The line can be divided into three sections (Massawa-Asmara; Asmara-Keren; Keren-Agordat). Additionally there was until WW2 a potash line, that was used also for civilian service.

Massawa to Asmara

The route was built between 1887 and 1910 by the Italians, who made the two main stations (Asmara and Massawa) with typical structures of railway stations in small Italian cities.

As of 2008, this is the only section open.

Name Image Distance[1] Altitude[1] Coordinates
Massawa 0.0 km (0.0 mi) 3 m (10 ft) 15°36′24″N 39°27′58″E / 15.606546°N 39.466163°E / 15.606546; 39.466163
Campo di Marte 2.8 km (1.7 mi) 9 m (30 ft) 15°36′52″N 39°26′42″E / 15.6144297°N 39.4450754°E / 15.6144297; 39.4450754
Otumlo[2] 4.6 km (2.9 mi) 11 m (36 ft) 15°37′24″N 39°25′58″E / 15.6233339°N 39.4328311°E / 15.6233339; 39.4328311
Moncullo 7.7 km (4.8 mi) 30 m (98 ft) 15°36′37″N 39°24′32″E / 15.61041°N 39.408839°E / 15.61041; 39.408839
Dogali 19.6 km (12.2 mi) 100 m (328 ft) 15°35′54″N 39°18′26″E / 15.5983434°N 39.3071535°E / 15.5983434; 39.3071535
Mai Atal 29.4 km (18.3 mi) 181 m (594 ft) 15°34′06″N 39°14′35″E / 15.5682675°N 39.2429334°E / 15.5682675; 39.2429334
Damas 45.0 km (28.0 mi) 416 m (1,365 ft) 15°28′34″N 39°12′29″E / 15.476202°N 39.207952°E / 15.476202; 39.207952
Baresa 57.1 km (35.5 mi) 600 m (1,969 ft) 15°24′05″N 39°11′05″E / 15.401421°N 39.184778°E / 15.401421; 39.184778
Ghinda 69.4 km (43.1 mi) 888 m (2,913 ft) 15°26′19″N 39°06′05″E / 15.438634°N 39.101447°E / 15.438634; 39.101447
Embatkalla 81.1 km (50.4 mi) 1,274 m (4,180 ft) 15°24′02″N 39°04′26″E / 15.400438°N 39.07397°E / 15.400438; 39.07397
Nefasit 93.0 km (57.8 mi) 1,672 m (5,486 ft) 15°20′07″N 39°03′48″E / 15.335212°N 39.063274°E / 15.335212; 39.063274
Arbaroba 104.9 km (65.2 mi) 2,064 m (6,772 ft) 15°20′48″N 39°00′27″E / 15.346758°N 39.007419°E / 15.346758; 39.007419
Asmara 117.6 km (73.1 mi) 2,342 m (7,684 ft) 15°20′20″N 38°56′58″E / 15.338936°N 38.949323°E / 15.338936; 38.949323

Asmara to Keren

Keren railway station – now used as a bus station and market

This section (with the stations) was built between 1911 and 1923.

Halib Mentel Station
Name Distance[1] Altitude[1]
Tzada Cristian 127.2 km (79.0 mi) 2,292 m (7,520 ft)
Zazzega 136.8 km (85.0 mi) 2,217 m (7,274 ft)
Dem Sabai 148.5 km (92.3 mi) 1,988 m (6,522 ft)
Andenna 156.6 km (97.3 mi) 1,907 m (6,257 ft)
Abrascico 164.9 km (102.5 mi) 1,783 m (5,850 ft)
Amba Derho 176.3 km (109.5 mi) 1,688 m (5,538 ft)
Furkuto 185.7 km (115.4 mi) 1,635 m (5,364 ft)
Elabered 195.3 km (121.4 mi) 1,468 m (4,816 ft)
Halib Mentel 209.9 km (130.4 mi) 1,423 m (4,669 ft)
Keren 221.7 km (137.8 mi) 1,390 m (4,560 ft)

Keren to Agordat

Agordat station, which was built in Arabesque style, is currently used for the small local airport

This section was built between 1924 and 1929.

Name Distance[1] Altitude[1]
Asciadira 232.7 km (144.6 mi) 1,204 m (3,950 ft)
Hummed 245.7 km (152.7 mi) 935 m (3,068 ft)
Agat 253.3 km (157.4 mi) 864 m (2,835 ft)
Darotai 262.5 km (163.1 mi) 795 m (2,608 ft)
Mai Adarte 271.4 km (168.6 mi) 750 m (2,461 ft)
Umfutat 284.6 km (176.8 mi) 669 m (2,195 ft)
Carobel 296.4 km (184.2 mi) 677 m (2,221 ft)
Agordat 306.4 km (190.4 mi) 606 m (1,988 ft)

Beyond Agordat

Beyond Agordat, the rails were laid as far as Bishia, another 31 kilometres (19 mi), with plans to extend to Ellit and Teseney,[3] linking with the railway network in Sudan. However this section was never completed.[4]

There would have been a break-of-gauge at the connection between Sudan and Eritrea.

Name Distance Altitude Comments
Agordat 232.7 km (144.6 mi) 606 m (1,988 ft)
Bishia 263.7 km (163.9 mi) 715 m (2,346 ft)
Ellit 290.7 km (180.6 mi) 735 m (2,411 ft) km uncertain
Teseney 301.0 km (187.0 mi) 600 m (1,969 ft) km uncertain
SudanKassala, Sudan 351.0 km (218.1 mi) 531 m (1,742 ft) km uncertain; Near Eritrea-Sudan border

Potash railway

A 42 kilometres (26 mi) line carrying potash was built to serve the following locations:[5]

  • Badda
  • Adaito

The 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) gauge line was active from 1905: a 600-mm track gauge line was built by the Italians inside the port of Mersa Fatuma[6] and from it into the hinterland until Kululi near the Ethiopian border. This was the main source of potash in Eritrea and had to cease operations because of the Great Depression of 1929.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Railways Administration in Eritrea. Imperial Ethiopian Government. 16 November 1965.
  2. ↑ Photo of Otumlo station
  3. ↑ Map of 1938 Italian Eritrea showing the expansion planned toward Ethiopia and Sudan border (the red line continuous is the Massaua-Asmara-Keren-Agordat railway)
  4. ↑ "The Eritrean Railway". Retrieved 24 March 2009.
  5. ↑ "Building the line". Retrieved 24 March 2009.
  6. ↑ Meleca: Map of the potash railway from Mersa Fatuma in page 3
  7. ↑ Neil Robinson. World Rail Atlas and Historical Summary.North, East and Central Africa. London, 2009 (p.35-39). ISBN 978-954-92184

See also

Media related to Train stations in Eritrea at Wikimedia Commons


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