List of railway stations in Eritrea explained

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.

NameImageDistance[1] AltitudeCoordinates
Massawa01NaN130NaN015.6065°N 39.4662°W
Campo di Marte2.81NaN190NaN015.6144°N 39.4451°W
Otumlo[2] 4.61NaN1110NaN015.6233°N 39.4328°W
Moncullo7.71NaN1300NaN015.6104°N 39.4088°W
Dogali19.61NaN11000NaN015.5983°N 39.3072°W
Mai Atal29.41NaN11810NaN015.5683°N 39.2429°W
Damas451NaN14160NaN015.4762°N 39.208°W
Baresa57.11NaN16000NaN015.4014°N 39.1848°W
Ghinda69.41NaN18880NaN015.4386°N 39.1014°W
Embatkalla81.11NaN112740NaN015.4004°N 39.074°W
Nefasit931NaN116720NaN015.3352°N 39.0633°W
Arbaroba104.91NaN120640NaN015.3468°N 39.0074°W
Asmara117.61NaN123420NaN015.3389°N 38.9493°W

Asmara to Keren

This section (with the stations) was built between 1911 and 1923. The railway generally followed the Anseba River and one of its tributaries through the mountains between Zazzega and Halib Mentel.

NameDistanceAltitudeCoordinates
Tzada Cristian127.21NaN122920NaN015.3372°N 38.8482°W
Zazzega136.81NaN122170NaN015.3535°N 38.8089°W
Dem Sabai148.51NaN119880NaN015.4124°N 38.7677°W
Andenna156.61NaN119070NaN015.4585°N 38.7611°W
Abrascico164.91NaN117830NaN015.509°N 38.7356°W
Amba Derho176.31NaN116880NaN015.5794°N 38.6953°W
Furkuto185.71NaN116350NaN015.6335°N 38.6603°W
Elabered195.31NaN114680NaN015.6819°N 38.6147°W
Halib Mentel209.91NaN114230NaN015.7454°N 38.5472°W
Keren221.71NaN113900NaN015.777°N 38.4536°W

Keren to Agordat

This section was built between 1924 and 1929.

NameDistanceAltitudeCoordinates
Asciadira232.71NaN112040NaN015.7637°N 38.3904°W
Hummed245.71NaN19350NaN015.7389°N 38.3237°W
Agat253.31NaN18640NaN0
Darotai262.51NaN17950NaN0
Mai Adarte271.41NaN17500NaN015.6554°N 38.1336°W
Umfutat284.61NaN16690NaN0
Carobel296.41NaN16770NaN0
Agordat306.41NaN16060NaN015.5461°N 37.8812°W

Beyond Agordat

Beyond Agordat, the rails were laid as far as Bishia, another 31km (19miles), 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.

NameDistanceAltitudeComments
Agordat232.71NaN16060NaN0
Bishia263.71NaN1, 7150NaN015.49°N 37.5466°W
Ellit290.71NaN17350NaN0km uncertain
Teseney3011NaN16000NaN0km uncertain
Kassala, Sudan3511NaN15310NaN0km uncertain; Near Eritrea-Sudan border

Potash railway

A line carrying potash was built to serve the following locations:[5]

The 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]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Railways Administration in Eritrea. Imperial Ethiopian Government. 16 November 1965.
  2. http://www.bahnbilder.de/name/einzelbild/number/242825/kategorie/Eritrea~Dieselloks~Sonstige.html Photo of Otumlo station
  3. http://mogadishuimages.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/map1.jpg 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. Web site: The Eritrean Railway. 24 March 2009.
  5. Web site: Building the line. 24 March 2009.
  6. http://www.ilcornodafrica.it/st-melecamassaua.pdf 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).