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Railway stations in Ethiopia

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Comparison

Current railway stations in Ethiopia are served by standard gauge railways of the National Railway Network of Ethiopia which is mostly under construction, except the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway. Other stations were built for the in 2018 still operating metre gauge Ethio-Djibouti Railways, although this railway has officially been superseded by the new Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway.

The following list contains dedicated railway stations with at least a single platform for passengers to enter or to leave trains. Train stops on open stretches without platform can outnumber train stops in railway stations by a 2:1 margin, but the former are not included in the lists. The railways usually also have a number of freight yards and dry ports for freight handling, but these are not counted as well.

Standard gauge railways

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Description of railway stations

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Railway stations mostly have a single platform for passengers to enter or to leave trains. These platforms allow access without having the need to use stairs. Some have two platforms connected through a footbridge above the overhead catenary system. The platforms are roofed to protect passengers against sun, wind and rain. Railway stations for passenger trains always have a station building directly attached to the back of the principal platform. Consequently, all railway stations with a single platform have space for only one platform line and do not allow the presence of more than one train at the platform at the same time. In contrast, railway stations with two platforms have the space for two or three platform lines. All platforms are around 330 meters long.

The station buildings are used for ticketing and for refreshments and contain waiting rooms and even rooms for prayers. They have media available (at least electricity, water). The outer appearance of station buildings of the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway shows some sort of architectural eclecticism including Ethiopian elements with some Chinese interpretation and rounded elements. The railway station buildings on the Awash–Hara Gebeya Railway are rather functional and rectangular.

The stations on the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway were built in 2015 and 2016, the stations on the Awash–Hara Gebeya Railway were built in 2017 and 2018 for the section between Awash and Kombolcha. For the sections between Kombolcha and Hara Gebeya and between Hara Gebeya and Mek'ele, all stations are planned. No clear date for building them is known.

In the following, most stations are coined [sic] closed, these do exist but there is no use by passengers yet (train stations would be operational but there are no scheduled passenger services yet). Some stations are called U/C, meaning under construction, others are planned and do not exist up to now. In total, there are 36 railway stations (existing, under construction and planned).

List of railway stations

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Passenger railway stations

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The stations below are passenger railway stations on operational railways and on railways currently under construction. Some of them are "open" (means, they see passengers), some of them are "closed" (means they are ready for service but not in use for the moment.

Other railway stations are under construction ("U/C") or are "planned" (while the railway is under construction already).

Standard gauge passenger railway stations in Ethiopia
Station Railway Platforms platform
length [m]
Status Image Remarks
Adama Addis Ababa–Djibouti 1 400 open also freight
Addis AbabaIndode Addis Ababa–Djibouti 1 closed mainly freight
Addis AbabaFuri-Labu Addis Ababa–Djibouti 2 400 + 400 open Addis Ababa Main Station
Adi Gudem Hara Gebeya–Mek'ele 1 planned
Alamata Hara Gebeya–Mek'ele 1 planned
Amibara Awash–Hara Gebeya 1 U/C
Awash Addis Ababa–Djibouti
Awash–Hara Gebeya
3 U/C Junction of two lines
also freight
Bike Addis Ababa–Djibouti 1 200 closed also freight
Bishoftu Addis Ababa–Djibouti 1 200 closed
Dewale Addis Ababa–Djibouti 2 300 + 300 closed also freight;
platforms separated
by 1 km down the line
Dirē Dawa Addis Ababa–Djibouti 1 400 open also freight
Feto Addis Ababa–Djibouti 1 200 closed
Hara Gebeya Awash–Hara Gebeya
Hara Gebeya–Mek'ele
1 planned future junction
Hayk Awash–Hara Gebeya 2 planned
Karakore Awash–Hara Gebeya 1 U/C
Kobo Hara Gebeya–Mek'ele 1 planned
Kombolcha Awash–Hara Gebeya 2 U/C
Megale Hara Gebeya–Mek'ele 1 planned
Mehoni Hara Gebeya–Mek'ele 1 planned
Mek'ele Airport Hara Gebeya–Mek'ele 1 planned
Mekoy Awash–Hara Gebeya 1 U/C
Mersa Awash–Hara Gebeya 1 planned
Metehara Addis Ababa–Djibouti 1 200 closed
Mieso Addis Ababa–Djibouti 1 200 closed
Modjo Addis Ababa–Djibouti 1 300 closed freight for Modjo Dry Port
Sebeta Addis Ababa–Djibouti 1 200 closed
Sembeta Awash–Hara Gebeya 1 U/C
Shewa Robit Awash–Hara Gebeya 2 U/C

Railways in planning stage

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The railway stations provided below are for planned railways. As these railways are in planning stage, the stations and station names are very preliminary and subject to change.

Standard gauge passenger railway stations in Ethiopia in planning stage
Station Railway Platforms Status Image Remarks
Axum Mekele-Shire 1 Planned
Shire Mekele-Shire 2 Planned
Hara Gebeya Hara Gebeya-Metema 1 Planned Junction
Wereta Hara Gebeya-Metema 1 Planned Future junction
* Bahir Dar Hara Gebeya-Metema 1 Planned
* Finobe Selam Hara Gebeya-Metema 1 Planned Future branch terminus
Azezo Hara Gebeya-Metema 1 Planned
Aykal Hara Gebeya-Metema 1 Planned
Genda Wuha Hara Gebeya-Metema 1 Planned
Metema Hara Gebeya-Metema 1 ? Planned near Sudan border
Hara Gebeya Hara Gebeya-Port Tadjoura 2 Planned Junction future
North-Eastern Line
Semera Hara Gebeya-Port Tadjoura 1 Planned
Dichoto Hara Gebeya-Port Tadjoura 1 Planned
Elidar Hara Gebeya-Port Tadjoura 1 Planned ET-DJ Border
Tadjoura Hara Gebeya-Port Tadjoura 1 ? Planned Port in northern Djibouti.
Sebeta Sebeta-Kurmuk 1 Planned Planned Junction
Western Line
Ambo Sebeta-Kurmuk 1 Planned
Ejaji Sebeta-Kurmuk 1 Planned Future Junction South-western line
Nekemte Sebeta-Kurmuk 1 Planned
Nejo Sebeta-Kurmuk 1 Planned
Asosa Sebeta-Kurmuk 1 Planned
Kurmuk Sebeta-Kurmuk 1 ? Planned Near Sudan Border
Ejaji Ejaji-Dima 1 ? Planned Future junction
South-Western line
Seka Ejaji-Dima 1 Planned
Jimma Ejaji-Dima 1 Planned Intermediate junction
* Bedele Ejaji-Dima 1 Planned Intermediate terminus
Tepi Ejaji-Dima 1 Planned
Dima Ejaji-Dima 1 ? Planned Near South Sudan Border
Boma, South Sudan Ejaji-Dima 1 ? Planned Across South Sudan border
Modjo Modjo-Moyale 1 ? Planned Future Junction
Southern line
Ziway Modjo-Moyale 1 Planned
Shashemene Modjo-Moyale 1 Planned Intermediate Junction
* Hawassa Modjo-Moyale 1 Planned Intermediate Terminus
Soddo Modjo-Moyale 1 Planned
Arba Minch Modjo-Moyale 1 Planned
Konso Modjo-Moyale 1 Planned Intermediate Junction
* Weyto Modjo-Moyale 1 Planned Intermediate Terminus
Tabelo Modjo-Moyale 1 Planned
Mega Modjo-Moyale 1 Planned
Ziway Modjo-Moyale 1 Planned
Moyale Modjo-Moyale 1 ? Planned Near Kenya Border
Adama Adama-Ginir 1 ? Planned Future junction
SouthEastern line
Keya Adama-Ginir 1 ? Planned Future intermediate junction
* Asella Adama-Ginir 1 ? Planned Future intermediate terminus
Robe Adama-Ginir 1 Planned
Indeto Adama-Ginir 1 ? Planned
Gasera Adama-Ginir 1 ? Planned
Ginir Adama-Ginir 1 ? Planned Future terminus
Desert separates Somalia

Metre gauge railway

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The metre gauge Ethio-Djibouti Railway was built between 1898-1917. Railway station buildings were built in part later, in part never. Only the two main cities along the line (Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa) saw bigger and dedicated station buildings with platforms. Most railway stations were composed of very simple single-room buildings, sometimes open without walls, sometimes closed, sometimes like goats sheds. No platforms.

Three types of railway stations exist: open, abandoned and defunct. The latter still exist while the status of abandoned railway stations is uncertain. Maybe they were totally demolished, maybe not. There are also some open railway stations, as the metre gauge railway still operates in 2018 with passenger services.

Main stations

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Station built Status Image
Dire Dawa 1902 / 1910 open -
Addis Ababa 1917 / 1929 defunct -

Other stations

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List of other metre gauge passenger railway stations in Ethiopia
Station built Status Image
Shinile open
El Bah open
Harewa open
Milo open
Adigale open
Lasarat open
Ayesha open
Adele open
Dewele open
Akaka Beseka abandoned
Bishoftu abandoned
Mojo abandoned
Adama abandoned
Welenchiti abandoned
Borchotto abandoned
Malka Jilo abandoned
Metehara abandoned
Awash abandoned
Arba Bordode abandoned
Kora abandoned
Asabot abandoned
Mieso defunct
Mulu defunct
Afdem defunct
Bike defunct
Gotha defunct
Erer defunct
Hurso defunct

See also

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References

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