Rail transport in Cameroon


Rail transport in Cameroon is primarily operated by Camrail, a subsidiary of Comazar.

History

Infrastructure

Separate from the metre gauge mainlines were narrow gauge plantation railways, especially in the Tiko area. These served cocoa and sugar plantations.

Possible extensions

There are plans for an iron ore railway, which however might be isolated from existing railways. The distance from the mine to the nearest likely port is about 500 km. A connection to the nearest Camrail line at Mbalmayo on the Nyong River would be 350 km long. Because of the heavy tonnages to be carried, this railway is likely to be . The railway would run from mines near Mbalam to a port near Lolabe. The expected traffic is 35 million tonnes per year for 25 years.
Extensions of the rail network to Maroua and Yokadouma to promote the forestry industry have also been recommended.
In December 2010, it was reported that a South Korean consortium planned to build new railways in Cameroon.

Adjacent countries

There are no links yet to railways in adjoining countries. The nearest the Nigerian railway system approaches Cameroon is Maiduguri over 100 km from the northern Cameroon border. The Gabon rail system and Congolese rail systems gauge do not run near to the Cameroonian border.
In 2011 funding for construction of a standard gauge railway line in Chad was obtained; the construction would include a line to Moundou and Koutéré near the Cameroon border, as well as a link to Nyala on the border with Sudan.

Rolling stock

Standards