page_title: Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway
section_title: Specifications
hierarchical_section_title: Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway / Railway / Specifications
caption_attribution_description: English: Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway in Holhol bridge. Français&#160;: Addis-Abeba-Djibouti Chemin de fer dans le pont de Holhol.
context_page_description: The Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway is a new standard gauge international railway that serves as the backbone of the new Ethiopian National Railway Network. The railway was inaugurated by Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn on January 1, 2018. It provides landlocked Ethiopia with access to the sea, linking Ethiopia's capital of Addis Ababa with Djibouti and its Port of Doraleh. More than 95% of Ethiopia's trade passes through Djibouti, accounting for 70% of the activity at the Port of Djibouti.
  The total railway capacity is 24.9 million tonnes of freight annually, with 6 million tonnes annually expected in 2023. These plans are accompanied by construction works at the Port of Doraleh to expand the annual cargo handling capacity from 6 to 14 million tonnes, with the aim of reaching 10 million tonnes of cargo by 2022.
context_section_description: The Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway was based on the Chinese National Railway Class 2 Standard. However, some changes were made at the request of the Ethiopian Railway Corporation. Ethiopia is not a member of the Northern Corridor Integration Project, which has selected the Chinese Class 1 standard for all of its railways.
  Gauge: Standard gauge
  Couplers: Janney AAR
  Brakes: Air
  Electrification: Overhead catenary 25 kV AC / 50 Hz
  Target speed (passenger): 120 km/h (75 mph)
  Target speed (freight): 80 km/h (50 mph)
  Maximum train load (freight): 3,500 ± 93 tonnes (3,445 ± 92 long tons; 3,858 ± 103 short tons) gross
  Designed transport capacity: 20 million tonnes annually
  Gross transport capacity: 24.9 million tonnes annually (taking double-track sections into account)
  Minimum railway curve radius: 1,200 m (3,900 ft) (800 m or 2,600 ft at difficult locations)
  Maximum (ruling) gradient:1.85% (1 in 54)
  Length of arrival & departure track at passing loops: 850 m (dual locomotive: 880 m) [resulting max. train length ~800 m]
  Maximum vehicle loading gauge
  height: 5300 mm
  width: 3400 mm
  Trains run on the: Left
  Railway signalling & train protection system: automatic block signaling & ETCS-2 SIL4
  Level crossings: permitted (no full grade separation)
  double stack ISO containers = 2 x 2.4m or 2 x 2.9m (unknown).
  The operators of the railway consider an annual freight tonnage that is far below the railway limits. As a rule of thumb, the operators foresee an annual freight tonnage increase of about one million tonne per year, starting at 1–2 million tonnes in the first year of operations.
  Although road traffic in Ethiopia drives on the right, trains drive on the left in the double-track sections. This is consistent with Chinese railway practice. The single-track sections are equipped with passing loops, each of which is triple-track so that two trains can wait for the main line to clear. Each station also serves as a passing loop.
  The railway line is almost fully electrified. Power is transmitted at 230 kV and 130 kV to eight substations. Traction power is supplied at 35.8 km intervals, with 18+1 stations in Ethiopia and three in Djibouti. General electrification ends after the Djibouti–Nagad passenger station. Trains are pulled by diesel locomotives to reach the Port of Doraleh and cargo terminals at inland dry ports. This is necessary to avoid interference between the overhead catenary and loading cranes.
caption: The Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway, Holhol bridge.
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