As the construction of the 650 kilometer cross Guinea railway infrastructure enters its final stage, this industrial artery connecting the Simandou iron mining area and the Morebaya new port is about to undergo a transformation in its identity. The cross Guinea company has officially disclosed its passenger transport plan and plans to launch public transportation services on this mining dedicated line. CTG Chairman Mamudou Nagnaren Barry revealed that the entire line is planned to have 10 stations, ensuring at least one station in each province, with the goal of officially opening by the end of this year. This is not only a breakthrough in engineering nodes, but also a crucial step in the transformation of Guinea's railway network from a single freight transport to a combination of passenger and freight transport.

Preparing for acceleration and operational pace

Although the contract stipulates that CTG needs to complete passenger and freight capacity construction within two years, the locomotives and vehicle equipment have been prepared ahead of schedule, and the actual preparation period may be significantly reduced. Barry made it clear that once the station infrastructure is completed, public passenger services will be immediately launched, with an initial operation mode of two trains per day in both directions. This efficient connection stems from the strong support of Chinese partners. China Civil Engineering Corporation (CCECC) pointed out that as a strategic channel connecting the mining hinterland and the sea outlet, the railway is meeting the annual capacity of 120 million tons of iron ore while introducing multiple operating entities through the opening of road rights. This will directly activate the potential of agricultural and livelihood logistics in Guinea.

Equity Restructuring and National Will

The change of railway operation rights is driven by a deep adjustment of capital structure. The government of Guinea currently holds a 15% stake in CTG and has developed a roadmap for long-term wholly-owned ownership. The remaining equity is held equally by two major conglomerates: one is Simfer Infraco Guin é e, a joint venture between mining giant Rio Tinto and Chinalco, and the other is WCS Infraco, a joint venture between WCS Holdings and China Baowu Steel Group. Keywords: transportation, railway

With the gradual increase of government shareholding, this railway artery spanning West Africa will serve the national development strategy more closely and become a new engine for Guinea's independent economic growth.Editor/Cheng Liting