Tunisia - General Information: Difference between revisions

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==UIC code==
==UIC code==
numeric 50; alpha BIH
Numeric 91; alpha TN


==Timetable==
==Timetable==
Line 24: Line 24:


===Downloadable Timetable===
===Downloadable Timetable===
* No downloadable timetable appears to be available on the official ŽRS website, although a numerical list of trains can be found at [http://www.zrs-rs.com/red_voznje.php www.zrs-rs.com/red_voznje.php], and clicking on a particular train gives a pop-up window giving detailed times.
* There do not appear to be any downloadable timetables available for the Main Lines.
* No downloadable timetable appears to be available on the official ŽFBH website.
* [http://www.sncft.com.tn/fr/banlieue_tunis/horaire.php Tunis Suburban]
* [http://www.sncft.com.tn/fr/banlieue_sahel/horaire.php Sousse Suburban]


===Printed Timetable===
===Printed Timetable===
* ŽRS publishes a timetable in booklet form "Red Voznje" that also includes many ŽFBH services, particularly around the ŽRS/ŽFBH border areas.
No book for the whole network seems to be available, but printed leaflets for individual routes are available at many stations.  
* ŽFBH does not publish a timetable book, but schedules are posted in stations.  
   
   
===Engineering Information===
===Engineering Information===
Line 35: Line 35:


==Maps==
==Maps==
There is no published map, except that in M.G. Ball's "European Railway Atlas".
There is no currently available published map of Tunisian Railways. A hand drawn map of the Tunis area is available on the [http://www.avoe05.dsl.pipex.com/Tunis.pdf Rinbad website].


==Gauge==
==Gauge==
Standard.
Standard and Metre.


==Electrification==
==Electrification==
25kV 50Hz.
* 25 kV 50Hz SNCFT: Sousse – Mahdia and, in course of being electrified, Tunis Ville – Erriadh.
* 650V dc? TGM: Tunis Marine – La Marsa,


==Rule of the road==
==Rule of the road==
Right.
Left on SNCFT; right on TGM.


==Other Railways==
==Other Railways==
None.
Tunis - Goulette - Marsa (TGM): Electrified standard gauge suburban route from Tunis Marine to La Marsa Plage, owned and operated by the Société des transports de Tunis (Transtu).


==Tourist Lines==
==Tourist Lines==
None.
None, although private tourist services operate over the SNCFT metre gauge line from Metaloui to the scenic Selja gorge.(''"Le Lezard Rouge"'').


==Metro==
==Metro==
Line 56: Line 57:


==Trams==
==Trams==
Sarajevo.
Tunis.


==Recent and future changes==
==Recent and future changes==
In recent years, there has been considerable investment in the metre gauge lines to the south of Tunis. For example, a line avoiding Sousse was opened in 2004 which eliminates a level crossing and street running in Sousse city centre. A number of cut offs and deviations have also been built e.g. north of Bir Bouregba. The Sahel (= coast) suburban service from Sousse Bab Jedid to Mahdia has been reopened and improved.
The intensively worked metre gauge suburban route from Tunis Ville to Erriadh is currently being electrified.


BHŽJK [Bosansko Hercegovačka Željeznička Javna Korporacija] is the umbrella organisation that co-ordinates ŽRS and ŽFBH activities. It has offices in Doboj.
Over recent years the following lines have lost their passenger services
 
* Les Salines to Le Kef
International services to Croatia and beyond were introduced in recent years as follows:
* Tinja to Menzel Bourguiba
* via the Dobrljin - Volinja crossing: one daily train pair between between Ploče and Zagreb;
* via the Šamac (formerly Bosanski Šamac) - Slavonski Šamac crossing: one daily train pair between Banja Luka and Beograd, and one daily train pair between Sarajevo and Budapest;
* via the Brčko - Gunja crossing: one daily train pair between Tuzla and Drenovci, with connections to/from Vinkovci. However this was withdrawn with the 2010/2011 timetable.
 
A number of passenger services ceased during the war (1991 onwards): prospects for re-opening are slim though all (except Modriča - Gradačac) carry freight traffic:
* Podlugovi - Vareš
* Modriča - Gradačac
* Tuzla - Živinice - Banovići
* Omarska - Tomašica
* Bihać - Martin Brod - Knin (Croatia)
A new route from Valjevo via Zvornik (in Serbia) to Tuzla (in Bosnia-Hercegovina) was started before the break-up of Yugoslavia. Completion of the Zvornik to Tuzla section was interrupted by the war in 1991 but has since been largely finished. The line carries no regular traffic but has seen occasional SFOR military traffic.Note that this line is shown wrongly, or not at all, on many maps, and actually runs from Rasputnica [= junction] Donja Borina, just south of Brasina on the line to Zvornik Grad, via a cross-border river bridge to Zvornik Novi (where there is a large works) then on to Caparde and Kalesija before ending at Živinice, which is on a freight line south from Tuzla. The Beograd - Banja Luka service was intended to run this way but runs instead via Šamac (see above), possibly because of the SFOR traffic and poor track condition on the ŽS (former JŽ) line between Ruma and Zvornik. Work on the Valjevo to Zvornik section was stopped - some construction work can be seen at the Valjevo end - but there are plans of a restart using EU finance.


There are optimistic plans by ŽRS to connect the isolated Bijeljina - Velino Selo - Sid ŽS (former JŽ) line to the Doboj - Šamac line, branching off just north of Milosevac on the Šamac line and running through Brčko to Bijeljina. This would provide a direct link to Serbia, to eliminate the need to cross into Croatia or the Muslim-Croat Federation, and would connect the western and southern parts of the Republika Srpska.
There are long term plans to build a standard gauge route from Libya to Gabes in south eastern Tunisia.


==Special Notes==
==Special Notes==
Under no circumstances should disused railway lines or installations be explored, because they may not have been cleared of mines.
Note that in the present climate of unrest (February 2011) travel to Tunisia is not advised.


==See also==
Freight services operate over the standard gauge route into Algeria via Ghardimaou, but there are no advertised passenger services.
*[[Bosnia-Hercegovina]]
*[[Bosnia-Hercegovina - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services]]

Revision as of 16:02, 16 February 2011

Country Name

Tunisia (Tunisie)

National railway system

La Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Tunisiens (SNCFT)

Official Website

www.sncft.com.tn Note that the English version is marked as "Under construction".

Language

Arabic and French.

Currency

Tunisian Dinar, symbol TND.

UIC code

Numeric 91; alpha TN

Timetable

Journey Planner

Downloadable Timetable

Printed Timetable

No book for the whole network seems to be available, but printed leaflets for individual routes are available at many stations.

Engineering Information

None.

Maps

There is no currently available published map of Tunisian Railways. A hand drawn map of the Tunis area is available on the Rinbad website.

Gauge

Standard and Metre.

Electrification

  • 25 kV 50Hz SNCFT: Sousse – Mahdia and, in course of being electrified, Tunis Ville – Erriadh.
  • 650V dc? TGM: Tunis Marine – La Marsa,

Rule of the road

Left on SNCFT; right on TGM.

Other Railways

Tunis - Goulette - Marsa (TGM): Electrified standard gauge suburban route from Tunis Marine to La Marsa Plage, owned and operated by the Société des transports de Tunis (Transtu).

Tourist Lines

None, although private tourist services operate over the SNCFT metre gauge line from Metaloui to the scenic Selja gorge.("Le Lezard Rouge").

Metro

None.

Trams

Tunis.

Recent and future changes

In recent years, there has been considerable investment in the metre gauge lines to the south of Tunis. For example, a line avoiding Sousse was opened in 2004 which eliminates a level crossing and street running in Sousse city centre. A number of cut offs and deviations have also been built e.g. north of Bir Bouregba. The Sahel (= coast) suburban service from Sousse Bab Jedid to Mahdia has been reopened and improved. The intensively worked metre gauge suburban route from Tunis Ville to Erriadh is currently being electrified.

Over recent years the following lines have lost their passenger services

  • Les Salines to Le Kef
  • Tinja to Menzel Bourguiba

There are long term plans to build a standard gauge route from Libya to Gabes in south eastern Tunisia.

Special Notes

Note that in the present climate of unrest (February 2011) travel to Tunisia is not advised.

Freight services operate over the standard gauge route into Algeria via Ghardimaou, but there are no advertised passenger services.