Tazara Railway Experiences?

Hi there! My husband and I are planning a trip largely to Zambia, but I'm investigating the possibility of a trip out to Dar es Salaam by way of the Tazara Railway. I've read that the train leaves twice a week, and I think we'd be staying at one of the camps in South Luangwa. Has anyone ever traveled via that rail? Good or bad experiences? Does it depart from Lusaka, and is there a general expectation about how long the trip is out to Dar? I also wondered where I would get tickets for it, and if there's anything else helpful anyone can share! Thanks!

You can't access the train easiy from South Luangua (unless you can persude you lodge to drive you right across the NP on rough roads to the other side as this is the closest it goes to the park. Access would have to be via Lusaka.

Others more knowledgeable will be able to fill on where to get the train etc - it doesn't start in Lusaka : although I understand you can buy tickets there.

There are several threads about the TAZARA train here on TT, you can use search for tazara.

The trains starts from Kapiri Mposhi, which is a little over an hour by bus from Lusaka. It leaves in the afternoon, but to my understanding it always departs late and arrives late in Dar es Salaam. The trip takes about two and a half days (pls correct me if i remember wrongly).

I can talk only about the first class, there are four berths in a compartment, they are same-sex, so if you as a couple want to stay together you have to reserve all the berths in the compartment. You can buy the tickets in TAZARA office in Lusaka.

There is supposed to be a servant/guard in each wagon but when we travelled she spent most of the time in the bar. The train stops at many places also during the night, and people from local places can enter the train so ensure that your door is well locked and you window is tightly bolted, also when you sleep.

There is a shower in the wagon, but after the first night all the mamas on the train consumed the shower water so we were left with vapour :) the water tanks were filled again somewhere on the Tanzanian side. We never got to taste the food in the restaurant wagon, as it was already finished when we got there, but beer never finishes… During the endless stops you can buy local produce bananas etc from the people living along the railway.

Altogether a very nice trip, I recommend it. On the Zambian side you will not see hardly anything, but on the Tanzanian side the train crosses beautiful mountainous areas and it also passes Selous so you will manage catch a glimpse of some animals.

I've put both traveller's accounts and photos inside and outside the train at www.seat61.com/Zambia.htm</a>.

It's not a trip I've done myself (yet!) but all the accounts I've received are positively glowing, as a great experience as long as you don't expect 'Holiday Inn' standards!

I have also heard great things about this trip - am planning to do Dar - Mbeya in July and have a question but as I'm well aware there are a lot of threads on this already thought I'd tack it onto the end of this one! To anyone who has taken the trip - especially from dar - do tickets need to be booked in advance? And if so how long? I know they are available at the TAZARA station, but are they avaliable anywhere else?

Cheers,
Sam