Phase 1
The first phase covers a distance of 300 km, from the city Dar es Salaam to Morogoro.[8]
This section was contracted to a 50/50 consortium comprising Yapi Merkezi of Turkey and Mota-Engil of Portugal. Construction began in April 2017 and Yapi Merkezi have been showing the progress of construction with monthly video reports on YouTube.[2] Partial funding for this section, amounting to US$1.2 billion, was borrowed from the Export Credit Bank of Turkey.[9] There are six stations: Dar es Salaam, Pugu, Soga, Ruvu, Ngerengere and Morogoro. Three trains make daily round trips.[10]
With infrastructure complete, electrical tests [11] and live train trials began in late April, 2022. Passenger service on the section was inaugurated on 14 June 2024.[12]
- Dar es Salaam–Morogoro Section
Phase 2
The second phase covers a distance of approximately 426 km,[13] from Morogoro via Dodoma to Makutopora in Manyoni District, Singida Region.[14] In September 2018, the government of Tanzania secured a US$1.46 billion soft loan from Standard Chartered Bank for the funding of this stretch.[9] The section was also contracted to the consortium that constructed the Dar es Salaam–Morogoro Section. The stations after Morogoro are Mkata, Kilosa, Kidete, Gulwe, Igunda, Dodoma, Bahi and Makutopora.
Passenger service between Dar es Salaam, Morogoro and Dodoma began 25 July 2024.[15]
Phase 3 (aka phase 3, lot 1)
The third phase runs from Makutopora to Tabora, including 7 stations and 294 kilometers of mainline and 74 kilometers of intersections, for a total of 368 kilometers at a cost of US$1.9 billion (TZS 4.41 trillion). The contract has been awarded to Yapi Merkezi, which has constructed the first two phases. The foundation stone was placed in April 2022 with work to start immediately.[16] According to the director general of the Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC), the section was 15% completed in May 2025.[17]
- Makutopora–Tabora Section
Phase 4 (aka phase 3, lot 2)
The fourth phase will cover Tabora to Isaka, a distance of 130 km. As of August 2022, the Tabora–Isaka section has been awarded to Yapi Merkezi[18] and work is in the mobilization stage. In January 2023, The Citizen newspaper reported that construction on the section has begun.[19] According to TRC's director general, the section was 6.87% completed in May 2025.[17]
Phase 5
This section, measuring approximately 341 km, runs from Isaka to the city of Mwanza, on the southern shores of Lake Victoria. In January 2021, The Citizen newspaper reported that two Chinese companies had been selected to construct this section of the SGR. China Civil Engineering Construction (CCECC) and China Railway Construction Company (CRCC) were selected to carry out the work at a contract price of approximately TZS:3 trillion (approx. US$1.3 billion).[20] Later that month, The East African reported that Tanzania had secured funding worth US$1.32 billion through the Government of China for the purpose of building this section of the SGR.[21] The section is under construction.[22] In May 2025, the section had reached 63% completion according to the TRC's director general.[17]
Phase 6
Tabora–Kigoma
This section, measuring approximately 506 km, runs from Tabora to Kigoma on the eastern shores of Lake Tanganyika. The contract was signed on 20 December 2022, between the Government of Tanzania and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and China Railway Construction Company (CRCC) for the construction of the railway.[23][24] In May 2025, the section had reached 7.88% completion according to the TRC's director general.[17]
Further planned phases
In January 2025, TRC announced plans to expand the SGR network with a new 1028 kilometre line from the port of Tanga via Moshi and Arusha to Musoma on the shores of Lake Victoria. The line is scheduled for completion in 2028.[25] Beyond improving connectivity in northern Tanzania, the railway is intended to transport soda ash and nickel.[26] There are plans for a southward SGR branch off the Tabora–Kigoma line. The 321 kilometre branch will start at Kaliua and run via Mpanga to Karema on the shore of Lake Tanganyika.[27][28] This stretch of the SGR is a component of the Isaka–Kigali Standard Gauge Railway and measures approximately 371 km. Construction of this section is budgeted at US$942 million.[29]
