Nick Mangwana Hails ZUPCO Trains

Government spokesperson, Nick Mangwana says Zimbabwe’s trains are among the most comfortable in the world.

On Tuesday a Zupco train took 45 minutes to arrive in Mufakose from the city center, among the passengers was Nick Mangwana.

The train left Harare station at 5.30 pm, arriving in Mufakose around 6.15 pm, although some passengers were dropped off along the way.

It stopped at Lever Brothers, Lonchivar and Kambuzuma dropping off passengers at the stations where ZUPCO buses were waiting to take them to their final destinations.

Each passenger payed $40 for the trip by ZUPCO conductors who were on the door to gain access to the train.

Mangwana said the new commuter trains would alleviate transport problems being faced by the people.

He went on to say that they got at their destinations in time, they did not run into traffic.

The new Harare commuter train services started on Tuesday afternoon on the Mufakose route with those trying it out given a free test ride.

The trains have 10 coaches each and a carrying capacity of 100 passengers per coach. So each train can carry more than 15 busloads of passengers.

The use of trains comes after the Zimbabwe United Passengers Company (ZUPCO), and the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) entered into a deal to ease transport problems in major urban areas starting with Bulawayo and Harare.