The Latest

Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit Set To Start Services With Arrival Of 138 Chinese Modern Buses

October 16, 2015
2 minute read
dar-es-salaam-rapid-transit-buses

The regional authority of Tanzania’s commercial capital, Dar es Salaam has recently announced that with the arrival of 138 Chinese-made Golden Dragon modern buses to the city, the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system is set to start providing its services.

The announcement was done by Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Saidi Meck Sadiki, whom explained that the service will start to be provided on the Kimara-Kivukoni route from Dar es Salaam’s western side to the coastal region.

According to Dar es Salaam Rapid Transport Agency (DART), a USD 40.9 million Public Private Partnership (PPP) in charge of managing the BRT, the 138 buses brings the total to 140 since two had been already imported for instructive purposes.

Tanzania Investment Guide 2026 Free Edition

A total of 101 buses with length of 12 metres each count with a capacity to transport 80 passengers per trip while the other 39 with a length of 18 metres, have the capacity to carry 150 passengers per trip according to UDA Rapid Transit (UDART), the private operator assigned by DART to run the system on the Kimara Kivukoni route the first two years.

At those capacities, the buses are expected to carry a total of 495,000 passengers per day when the system is fully operational within the next 36 months according to the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Regional Commissioner Sadiki stressed the UDART’s efforts on importing the 138 buses to start easing the traffic congestion and daily obstacles than the commuters face with the more than 6,800 private transport companies that offer the service in 362 routes across Dar es Salaam.

The BRT fare would not be above the current ones charged on public transport, he added.

DART system is meant to reduce the up to four hours that it takes to go from one side to the other of the city, to merely 25 minutes traveling.

TanzaniaInvest Capital Markets Report Banner

It is also meant to meet future transport demand of Dar Es Salaam’s population currently over 4.5 million people spread in a total area of 1,391 km, and expected to reach the 11 million by the year 2025.

Want to know more about Transport in Tanzania? Our free overview of the Tanzania Business and Investment Guide 2026 covers Transport, plus key sectors and investment opportunities. The complete 141-page edition includes policies, taxation, key regulations, full macroeconomic data, and sources, and is also available at no cost upon completion of a short form.

Download Free OverviewGet the Full Edition for Free
Tweet
Share
Share
Share
Related Posts
EU-Tanzania Roadshow 2026 APM Terminals at Maasvlakte Rotterdam
Read More

EU–Tanzania Roadshow Ends With Rotterdam and Antwerp Port Visits as Tanzania Pitches Port, Rail and Logistics Opportunities to European Companies

The EU-Tanzania roadshow ended in Antwerp on 6 October 2026 after port visits in Rotterdam, with Tanzania's port and rail authorities pitching openings for terminal operators, EPC contractors, private rail operators and digital rolling stock tracking, while rail operator Vecturis, minerals logistics group Polytra, heavy lifting company Sarens and marine data company GEOxyz outlined their plans in Tanzania. The EU said it will join the World Bank and the EIB, which has a formal financing request, in supporting the Dar es Salaam port expansion, and offered Global Gateway guarantees, equity and feasibility funding for company projects screened by member states.
EU-Tanzania Roadshow 2026 The Hague day 1 opening Mkumbo
Read More

EU–Tanzania Roadshow Reaches The Hague With Coffee, Cashew, Critical Minerals, and Port Investment Pitches

The EU-Tanzania roadshow reached The Hague on 5 October 2026 for its final leg, where Tanzania pitched coffee and cashew processing, wheat and edible oils, critical minerals, the new Bagamoyo and Mwambani ports on the mainland, Zanzibar's Mangapwani port hub, four dry ports, and two new lines of the standard gauge railway network to around 90 businesses. Agriculture emerged as the priority sector for European and Dutch investors, with the best opportunities in food production and value addition, backed by Dutch expertise as the world's second-largest agricultural exporter.
Read More

Tanzanian Delegation Visits Agribusiness, AI, Data Centre and Railway Facilities on Day Two of EU–Tanzania Roadshow in Italy

On 2 October, Tanzanian agribusiness and digital delegations visited facilities in Emilia-Romagna during the EU–Tanzania roadshow’s Italian leg. On the second day of the EU–Tanzania roadshow in Italy, the agribusiness delegation visited Apofruit–Almaverde, Martini Group and Unitec to examine post-harvest handling and cold storage, livestock and food operations, and fruit sorting, grading and training. A separate group led by Deputy Minister Pius Chaya visited the University of Bologna, DAMA Tecnopolo and Bologna San Donato to learn about artificial intelligence, Industry 4.0, supercomputing, data centres and railway testing.

Want to know more about investing in Tanzania? Our free overview of the Tanzania Business and Investment Guide 2026 covers the economy, key sectors and investment opportunities. The complete 141-page edition, which includes policies, taxation, key regulations, full macroeconomic data and sources, is also available at no cost upon completion of a short form.

Download Free Overview Get the Full Edition for Free