• ESR provides rail transport, warehousing and storage facilities for shippers. Other services include container repositioning, cargo tracking and the delivery and collection of containers to and from customer premises.
  • ESR moves a variety of commodities comprising petroleum products, wheat, coal, cement, sugar, cars, canned fruit, household effects, ethanol, citric acid, phosphoric acid, refrigerator components, textile and apparel, malt, caramel colour, fertilizers, books and general goods.
  • A single train can haul up to 160 containers simultaneously.
  • The mainline can handle a maximum 12 trains up and 12 trains down per day. The axle loading varies between 18tons per axle and 21, 5 tons per axle.
  • The intermodal approach of road to rail and rail to road is used to collect and deliver cargo between the port and customer premises.
  • The ESR network avails connectivity to all SADC countries and extends to other countries up north including up to the DRC.
  • The Railway administration receiving the inquiry issues a comprehensive rail rate for the total trip covered through the countries and rail networks.
  • A 24 hour train control office at Mpaka issues train tokens to authorise the movement of trains through the network.
  • Most bulk and containerized cargo can only loaded and offloaded at Matsapha station. Coal and sugar are loaded at Maloma and Mlawula sidings respectively.
  • Due to the fact that the train is able to haul huge volumes of cargo all at once, it remains the most cost effective mode of transport as compared to road.
  • Rail transports cargo in bulk as compared to road transport, giving the customer an advantage to move bigger volumes at least costs.
  • Matsapha/Maputo Port – 1 Day
  • Matsapha/Richards Bay Port – 2 Days
  • Matsapha/Durban Port – 3 Days
  • High cargo safety & security
  • High volume/bulk capacity
  • Limited border constrains
  • Documentation on site
  • Predictability of train service
  • Economy and reliability
  • Efficient connection to the ports
  • Progressive cargo tracking
  • Environmental friendliness (Low Carbon emissions and noise pollution)
  • This is the designated area for dispatch and receiving of containers inland. It is the country’s only dry port strategically located to efficiently handle cargo to and from countries up north through Eswatini.
  • ESR stations are at Matsapha, Sidvokodvo, Mlawula, Mpaka, Phuzumoya, Mhlume, Big Bend and Nsoko. Trains are dispatched and received at Matsapha and Train Control is housed at Mpaka with Mbabane as the Administrative Head Quarters.
  • Operationally ESR operates 24 hours 7 days a week. Office hours are Mondays to Fridays, 8am – 5pm. The ESR Team is readily available to work extended hours, holidays and weekends when required.
  • Eswatini Railways has representation in both Mozambique and South Africa. There are 3 ESR employees at the Joint Operation Centre (JOC), 1 representative based in Maputo and another one in Nelspruit. Penfreight Consulting also handles this responsibility for the Richards Bay Corridor.
  • ESR owns among other key assets; 4 locomotives, 2 Reach Stackers, 24 Skeletal Trailers, 1 Bull Dozer, 75 Mineral Wagons, 101 fuel tankers, 116 Sugar Wagons, 60 Container Wagons, 57 General Purpose Wagons, 120 Tarpaulins and 5 Guard Vans.
  • Railway companies include but not limited to Transnet Freight Railway (TFR), Mozambique Ports & Railways (CFM) Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL), National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ), and Botswana Railways (BR). Others include Penfreight Consulting, Scarl Transport, Temlo Holdings, Eswatini Revenue Authority, Mediterranean Shipping Company Eswatini, Safmarine Eswatini (Pty) Ltd, the Eswatini Freight Forwarders Association, Eswatini Investment Promotion Authority, Eswatini Textile Apparel and Traders Association and others within the logistics chain.
  • This is a place where the railway line interfaces with road or a pedestrian crossing. It is a designated place on the railway line for the authorised crossing of pedestrians and motor vehicles.
  • No, a train cannot electrocute a person crossing the railway line. Pedestrians have to keep a very safe distance from the railway line at all times.
  • This is one of the strategic initiatives currently being undertaken for implementation by the end of March 2017. Information on bookings shall be available on the ESR website and the media once the logistics have been finalised.
  • The ESR Corporate Investment policy outlines projects in Education; Environment; Social and Economic Development.
  • Like all organisations out there, Eswatini Railways is always keen on giving back to the community. The company has sponsored many social, economic up-liftment activities and sporting events in the past years. This is an ongoing initiative under the CEO’s office.
  • ESRL stands for Eswatini Rail Link. This is the proposed rail line that will be connecting Eswatini and South Africa from Phuzumoya through Bhunya to Davel on the other side of the border line.
  • The population of our country is not big enough to afford the company a viable daily passenger train service running through the cities. However, consideration is being made for tourist train rides through areas of interest during festive and cultural seasons.
  • Railway administrations like ESR train their own drivers who also qualify to drive trains in other countries within and outside SADC.
  • Purchase of 20 fuel tank wagons in 2010
  • ISO 2008:9001 Accreditation in 2012
  • Acquisition of 4 locomotives in 2014
  • Acquisition of 75 CR wagons in 2014 for transit traffic
  • Celebrated Golden Jubilee in 2014
  • Purchase of 50 fuel tank wagons in 2016
  • Acquisition of 40 Container wagons in 2016
  • Progressive real time cargo tracking and reporting
  • The maximum speed on the ESR network is 60KM/H

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