Tanzania's Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project has received its first set of electric trains, paving the way for a huge infrastructure boost.

As part of the East African railway master plan, the SRG project includes a railway system that connects the country to Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi, and then to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC) on Saturday said the first set of Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains from South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem will speed up the SGR project and make passenger movement more comfortable.

The Tanzanian government, through the TRC, purchased ten sets of EMU trains. Each unit will accommodate 589 passengers and operate at speeds up to 160 km/h.

The TRC said in a statement that the EMU is designed with "modern technology that enables passengers to get important services, including internet service (WiFi), seating areas for people with special needs, cooling systems and security cameras (CCTV)."

According to the TRC, to date, it has received one EMU train, with additional EMUs being delivered monthly until October 2024.