Abuja-Kaduna Train Resumes Amid Low Passenger Traffic

The Abuja-Kaduna Train operations resumed on Monday amid low passenger traffic as fear of insecurity continued to mar the operations on the route.

Recall that the train service was suspended on March 28, 2022 after an attack on an ill-fated Abuja-Kaduna train by terrorists.

The management of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) over the weekend announced that the train service would resume on Monday.

A closer monitor at the Idu and Kubwa stations showed that the ever bubbling train stations were totally deserted as only a few cars were sighted.

Personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were also seen at the entrance of the station indicating the presence of security.

At the ticketing points, National Identification Number (NIN) and phone number were demanded from interested passengers before the issuance of tickets.

Passengers without NIN were not issued tickets despite pleas to the ticketing officer.

Inside the coaches from Idu to Kubwa station, the majority of the coaches were empty and only a few had passengers in them.

Also, as reported earlier on the hike in ticket fare for the Abuja-Kaduna train service, it was observed that from Idu in Abuja to Rigasa in Kaduna, the current fare has been pegged at N9,000 for 24-seater coaches, N6,500 for 56 and 68-seater coaches and N3,600 for 88-seater coaches while minors are expected to pay N3,000.

However, before the attack, the Abuja-Kaduna train from Idu to Rigasa was pegged at N7,000 for 24-seater coach, N5,000 for 56 and 68-seater coaches and between N2,600 to N3,000 for 88-seater coach depending on the time of the trip while minors paid N1,500.