Train Travel Through Africa

I recently received an email inquiring about train travel through Africa. While most African countries have comprehensive railway systems, the services vary greatly. East and Southern Africa have fairly decent railway networks and although travel can be a little slow, it's a wonderful way to see the continent and meet local people. Trains in West and Central Africa offer more sporadic service but when they run you can enjoy some breathtaking trips including one from Dakar (Senegal) to Bamako (Mali).

Getting around Morocco and Egypt by train is also easy and most trains offer berths, 1st and 2nd class. South Africa boasts some of the most luxurious train services including the famous Blue Train. And taking the train from Nairobi to Mombasa in Kenya, through the Tsavo National Park is just a wonderful experience.

There are some private rail companies that offer train travel through several African countries:

• Rovos Rail offers luxury train journeys with restored wood-paneled coaches and 5 star cuisine on board. You can take a trip from Cape Town to Dar-es-Salaam or stop off at the splendid Victoria Falls. There are many routes to choose from, the longest trip is 2 weeks.

• The Shongolo Express offers several packages including three different 16 day adventures. The train travels between South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, Botswana, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Thanks to Stuart Hurlbut for the photo of a passenger train in Kagoma, Tanzania