The train fare for the Abuja to Kaduna train service will double when the train services resume, the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi has said.
The minister, who stated this Saturday while inspecting construction works on the Itapke to Warri rail line, said President Muhammadu Buhari has also approved the renaming of the train station after former President Goodluck Jonathan.
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He said the ticket cost will have to increase because a coach will now be carrying half the normal capacity.
He said passengers must have personal hand sanitizers and wear a face mask at all times during the duration of the train ride.
“Each coach takes 88 passengers but we will reduce it to 40 and the price will increase but we will need to talk to the president before we move on,” he said.
Before the lockdown, the fare for a first express and normal trips were N3, 000 and N2, 500 respectively, while economy express and normal trips cost N1,500 and N1,300 respectively.
Speaking on why Abuja-Kaduna train service hasn’t resumed, the minister said: “We need to maintain social distancing and ensure that we won’t be able to transmit COVID-19 amongst ourselves. That is worst when you have to deal with 4000 passengers a day between Kaduna and Abuja,” he said.
The minister, however, did not state when the train will resume.
On the Itapke-Warri rail line, he said the work was completed and that Julius Berger, CCECC and Team have all done a good job.
He said the project will be commissioned virtually by President Buhari on a yet to be announced date.
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