Tunisia - General Information: Difference between revisions

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==Official Website==
==Official Website==
[http://www.sncft.com.tn/ www.sncft.com.tn] Note that the English version is marked as "Under construction".
[http://www.sncft.com.tn/ www.sncft.com.tn]


==Language==
==Language==
Line 15: Line 15:


==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 SNCFT timetables available for the Main Lines. However, the [http://www.fahrplancenter.com/Fahrplan_SNCFT.html Fahrplancenter website] does provide comprehensive timetable information.
* 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".
===Printed Maps===
There is no currently available published map of Tunisian Railways. A hand drawn map of the [[Maps and Plans#Tunisia|Tunis area]] is available.
 
===Web-based Maps===
*A list of lines and rudimentary map are available on the [http://www.sncft.com.tn/En/network_11_34 SNCFT] web page. This page contains a useful list of lines and their lengths. However, this map predates the construction of the Sousse avoiding line, and the consequent closure of the (former) main line route south from Sousse to Sousse Bab Jedid. Therefore mileages south of Sousse will be correct station-to-station but not cumulatively from Tunis.
 
*A system map and plan of the Tunis area are available in [[Maps and Plans#Tunisia|Maps and Plans - Tunisia]]


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


==Electrification==
==Electrification==
25kV 50Hz.
* 25 kV 50Hz SNCFT: Sousse – Mahdia and 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 63:


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


==Recent and future changes==
==Recent and future changes==
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 overhead lines on the intensively worked metre gauge suburban route from Tunis Ville to Erriadh were energised on 10 August 2011.
The Tinja - Menzel Bourguiba line lost its passenger service some years ago.


BHŽJK [Bosansko Hercegovačka Željeznička Javna Korporacija] is the umbrella organisation that co-ordinates ŽRS and ŽFBH activities. It has offices in Doboj.
There are long term plans to build a standard gauge route from Libya to Gabes in south eastern Tunisia.


International services to Croatia and beyond were introduced in recent years as follows:
The branch from Les Salines, on the Tunis - Kalaa Khasba line, to (Le) Kef was reopened in 2011 after a gap of 19 years, with one Autorail Express each way from/to Tunis Ville.
* 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:
Resumption of passenger services between Tunisia and Algeria over the Ghardimaou - Sidi El-Hémissi border crossing was still "projected" at September 2020.
* 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.
A tourist service (''La Rose des Sables'') ran for a period in 2015, covering the non-passenger Kalaâ Kasbah - Kasserine line, but did not survive.


==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 travel to some parts of Tunisia is not advised; see the [https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/tunisia UK Government Foreign travel advice website].


==See also==
Freight services operate over the standard gauge route into Algeria via Ghardimaou but there are no cross-border passenger services as at February 2015; see Recent and Future Changes above.
*[[Bosnia-Hercegovina]]
*[[Bosnia-Hercegovina - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services]]

Revision as of 16:59, 7 January 2021

Country Name

Tunisia (Tunisie)

National railway system

La Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Tunisiens (SNCFT)

Official Website

www.sncft.com.tn

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

Printed Maps

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

Web-based Maps

  • A list of lines and rudimentary map are available on the SNCFT web page. This page contains a useful list of lines and their lengths. However, this map predates the construction of the Sousse avoiding line, and the consequent closure of the (former) main line route south from Sousse to Sousse Bab Jedid. Therefore mileages south of Sousse will be correct station-to-station but not cumulatively from Tunis.

Gauge

Standard and Metre.

Electrification

  • 25 kV 50Hz SNCFT: Sousse – Mahdia and 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

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 overhead lines on the intensively worked metre gauge suburban route from Tunis Ville to Erriadh were energised on 10 August 2011.

The Tinja - Menzel Bourguiba line lost its passenger service some years ago.

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

The branch from Les Salines, on the Tunis - Kalaa Khasba line, to (Le) Kef was reopened in 2011 after a gap of 19 years, with one Autorail Express each way from/to Tunis Ville.

Resumption of passenger services between Tunisia and Algeria over the Ghardimaou - Sidi El-Hémissi border crossing was still "projected" at September 2020.

A tourist service (La Rose des Sables) ran for a period in 2015, covering the non-passenger Kalaâ Kasbah - Kasserine line, but did not survive.

Special Notes

Note that travel to some parts of Tunisia is not advised; see the UK Government Foreign travel advice website.

Freight services operate over the standard gauge route into Algeria via Ghardimaou but there are no cross-border passenger services as at February 2015; see Recent and Future Changes above.