The President of Senegal, Macky Sall, will officially open on January 14, the first section of the Regional Express Train that will link the capital of Dakar to Diamniadio. Electrical tests on the 36-km line were conducted successfully on this section of the TER from 5-9 January 2019.
For this project, ENGIE Ineo as the lead contractor and Thales were responsible for the design and construction of rail electrification, revenue collection, signalling, and telecommunication systems, working with country’s National Agency for the Promotion of Investments and Major Projects, APIX.
When both sections are completed in 2020, the total length of the line will be 55 km served by 14 stations, offering transport link between Dakar to the new Blaise Diagne International Airport in 45 minutes. The number of daily passengers is estimated at 115,000.
This project will provide Dakar and its suburbs with an ultra-modern transport system featuring the most advanced technologies to ensure the highest levels of safety, reliability, comfort and passenger service. It is part of the Emerging Senegal Plan launched in 2014 to promote the economic and social development of the country and reflects a commitment by ENGIE and Thales to deliver smart mobility solutions and enable harmonious progress that respects the environment and enables positive human development.
A multi-technology Franco-Senegalese team was put in place to meet this major challenge and provide Senegal with its first rail link equipped with the most high-performance solutions on the market.
The two companies are delivering all the technical systems, including passenger Wi-Fi connectivity on the trains and in the stations, the passenger safety systems at the stations as well as providing the European Train Control Systems (ETCS) Level 2, which provides train speed supervision, computer-controlled interlockings, centralised traffic command and control system, axle counters for safe train detection, passenger information system, central ticketing system and gates for each station.
The works on Dakar air-rail link were launched in 2016. Alstom was awarded a contract for the supply of 15 Coradia Polyvalent electro-diesel trainsets, capable of running at speeds of 160 km/h. With a total length of 72 meters, the train has four cars, a capacity of 400 passengers and a first and second class. In October 2018, Alstom started the shipment of the trains.
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