The Nile Train (Atbara–Port Sudan)

Sudan Railways Corporation (SRC)
Sudan
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The Journey

Navigate from Atbara Junction (العبرة) — Sudan Railways operational headquarters since 1897 to Port Sudan Railway Station (بورتسودان) across a span of 600km. This is an overnight service.

Scenery Highlights
  • Nile–Atbara river confluence panorama at Atbara Junction — the train departs from a station built in 1897 that has watched the Nile–Atbara junction for 128 years; the two rivers' distinct colours (white Nilotic silt vs red-brown Atbara sediment) remain visible for the first few kilometres east
  • Open Nubian Desert — for the first ~250 km east of Atbara the line crosses utterly flat, hyper-arid gravel plains with horizons that appear to curve; sunrise and sunset light the desert surface from emerald grey through ochre to deep orange
  • Gedaref plains — the train passes near Gedaref (Al Qadarif), Sudan's primary sorghum-growing region; the surrounding mechanised farms are a vivid green rectangle within the desert from October to February
  • Haiya Junction — a former British-era watering and locomotive-servicing station in the foothills of the Red Sea Hills; the train typically pauses 30–60 minutes at dawn for diesel refuelling and water replenishment
  • Erkowit escarpment switchbacks — the most dramatic section of the journey, where the line climbs ~1,200 m from the desert plains through granite gorges into the Erkowit juniper-forest plateau; tight radius curves, exposed rock cuttings, and a single track that threads between boulders offer some of the most spectacular mainline-railway views in Africa
  • Sinkat and the Erkowit plateau — the historic 1884 battle sites of the Mahdist War; the line passes within sight of the Erkowit hill station that Kitchener developed as a British summer hill station from 1905 onward
  • Red Sea coastal plain descent — the final 80 km from Sinkat to Port Sudan descends from the granite highlands through the juniper and acacia forests of the Red Sea Hills onto the hot coastal plain, with first views of the Red Sea appearing ~30 km before arrival
  • Port Sudan station arrival — the terminus sits 4 km from the Red Sea waterfront; the steam-era carriage sheds and 1906-built main station building are still in use as the operational hub of the modern fleet
Quick Facts
  • Duration

    12 hours

  • Distance

    600 km

  • Est. Price

    Ultra-affordable — 2nd class seat ~SDG 3,500 (~US$6), 1st class AC sleeper ~SDG 6,000 (~US$10), per person one-way Atbara–Port Sudan. Prices fluctuate with the unofficial exchange rate; payment in Sudanese Pounds cash is mandatory

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Classes & Accommodations

Meals: None (small dining car onboard selling tea, kisra, fuul; passengers advised to bring supplementary food)

Ensuite: No

Meals: None

Ensuite: No

Engine / Locomotive

CRRC Zhuzhou and Dalian Locomotive diesel-electric locomotives and diesel multiple-unit trainsets (post-2010 procurement); replaced earlier Soviet TEP70-class and Chinese DF-class diesel locomotives. Heritage Sudan Railways steam and earlier diesel classes are preserved at the Atbara central workshops but no longer operate scheduled services.

Track Gauge

1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) Cape gauge

Braking Technology

Air brake systems on modern Chinese-built rolling stock (Westinghouse-style compatible); vacuum brakes on remaining heritage coaches

Route Engineering Challenges

  • Traversing the hyper-arid Nubian Desert with extreme temperature fluctuations (daytime >48 °C in summer, near-freezing nights in winter) — track expansion, sand encroachment, and ballast degradation are constant maintenance issues

  • Sand drift on the open desert sections between Atbara and Haiya Junction — winds regularly bury exposed sections of single track and require mechanical clearance

  • Seasonal flash flooding in wadi crossings during the July–September rainy season — wadi beds that are dry for 11 months a year can become torrents within hours, undermining bridge abutments

  • The Erkowit escarpment crossing — gradients up to 1 in 50, tight radius curves, exposed granite cuttings, and boulder-fall hazard zones in the Red Sea Hills switchbacks require constant inspection and remedial works

  • Long gaps between water and fuel replenishment points in the desert section — the train typically stops only at Haiya Junction for diesel and water during the 12-hour overnight journey

  • Single-track mainline with limited passing loops — delays at the Atbara Junction yard propagate to downstream stations

  • Damage to Khartoum–Atbara infrastructure during the April 2023 civil war — bridges, signalling, and trackbed required extensive remediation before the February 2026 partial reopening; some sections still operate at reduced capacity

  • Maintaining rail integrity across lightly maintained secondary track post-conflict — speed restrictions and slow orders are common on the most war-affected sections

  • Aging signalling and communications systems — much of the original 1906-era telegraph-based block signalling has been replaced with basic radio dispatch but no modern electronic train protection (ETP) system is in service

  • Limited spare-parts availability for the post-2010 Chinese-built fleet due to international sanctions and trade restrictions on Sudan — fleet availability depends on creative local engineering and bilateral Chinese support

Line Length

600 km (Atbara Junction → Port Sudan)

Original Construction

1904–1906, engineered by Sir Percy Girouard under Lord Cromer; opened 5 June 1906

Original Strategic Purpose

Anglo-Egyptian Condominion Red Sea corridor; replacement for the older camel route to Suakin

Maximum Speed

~80 km/h on flat desert sections; 25–40 km/h on Erkowit escarpment switchbacks

Operator

Sudan Railways Corporation (SRC), founded 1875, state-owned under Ministry of Transport

Operational Headquarters

Atbara Junction (since 1897)

Track Gauge

1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) Cape gauge (inherited from Egyptian National Railways standard)

Route Character

Hyper-arid desert plains (Nubian Desert) + Red Sea Hills escarpment crossing + coastal descent

Modern Fleet

CRRC Zhuzhou and Dalian Locomotive diesel-electric multiple units and mainline diesel locomotives (post-2010)

Historical Significance

Keystone of the Anglo-Egyptian Condominion's Red Sea corridor; principal WWII Lend-Lease supply route from US through Port Sudan to Egypt

Current Status (Mid-2026)

Limited service Atbara–Port Sudan (fortnightly); Khartoum–Atbara resumed February 2026; no through-train; Level 4 Do Not Travel advisory active

Heritage Recognition

Sudan Railways Heritage Foundation maintains the original 1897 Atbara workshops, 1906 Port Sudan station, and select heritage steam and diesel locomotives; potential UNESCO tentative-list candidate

Comparable Networks

Egyptian National Railways (same Cape gauge, northward), Tanzania Railways Corporation (same Cape gauge, southward), Zambia Railways (same Cape gauge, southward)

Quick Facts
  • Duration

    12 hours

  • Distance

    600 km

  • Est. Price

    Ultra-affordable — 2nd class seat ~SDG 3,500 (~US$6), 1st class AC sleeper ~SDG 6,000 (~US$10), per person one-way Atbara–Port Sudan. Prices fluctuate with the unofficial exchange rate; payment in Sudanese Pounds cash is mandatory

Official Booking Provider