All Aboard

By+Xia+Yuanyuan

A 13-month annual calendar， the worlds best coffee and a plethora of subterranean rock-carved churches， these are just some of the things that make Ethiopia unique. Now the country， located in the Horn of Africa， has a new feather in its cap.

Cutting through the heart of its booming capital Addis Ababa， the Light Rapid Transit（AALRT） network， the fi rst of its kind in SubSaharan Africa， has quickly become a source of national pride.

With its $475-million cost funded by the Export-Import Bank of China， the urban railway project has been touted as the solution to the citys growing road transport problems since it began operation in 2015.

One line， featuring blue carriages， covers 16.69 km and runs north to south， serving 20 stations from Menelik to Kaliti. A second green carriage line stretches 17.02 km and runs east to west， linking Ayat to Tor Hailoch. The two lines have 39 stations altogether.

“It is modern and comfortable，”Goody Kunambuta， a local resident， told ChinAfrica， a monthly magazine published by Beijing Review. “The railway totally changed our lives.” The railways operating hours， 6 a.m. to 10 p.m， have also meant a boost for the local economy. Previously， the city streets were all but deserted around 8 p.m.， but the convenience of the new lines has transformed the city center into a bustling area right up to the time of the last train.

A new travel option“Woraj” （meaning get off in the local language） is a cry heard across the city passengers pouring out of minibuses.

In Addis Ababa， blue and white minibuses are the most popular means of public transport. Though the fares are cheap， most of these vehicles are old and dilapidated. The blue Lada taxis provide another commuting option， but with a high cost.

“The light railway provides us a new means of transportation. It is highly costeffective，” Getnet Bayih， a local variety store owner， told ChinAfrica. Living in a suburb 15 km from the city center， it costs him 10 birr（43 cents） by minibus to his office， which includes several transfers. A taxi would set him back 200 birr （$8.7）. “If I take the light railway， I pay only 6 birr （26 cents） for a journey with no transfer stops，” said Getnet.“It is definitely faster， cleaner and more comfortable.”

Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa. According to Ethiopias Central Statistical Agency， the population of Addis Ababa has reached 4.6 million this year. Transportation needs in the city are increasing exponentially in relation to its population growth and economic development. The rail service， estimated to transport about 100，000 passengers daily， helps ease congestion in an often grid-locked city.endprint