We hope this is not just a market survey by the Botswana Railways to find out the true cost of the trains, but a display of a serious intention to return the passenger train that was stopped in 2009. According to the adverts, Botswana Railways is seeking to secure various classes of the passenger coaches as Generator Vans, First class, economy class, business class, buffet car, and luggage vans. We can only hope that the processes of procuring these coaches does not take a whole year. Talk of the return of the passenger train has been on the agenda for the last two years and there were hopes that Government would ensure the train service be resumed ahead of the 2014 elections
Train services, like post office services, is one of the basic services that a nation cannot afford to be without. They are naturally expensive and have little returns or profit but are there to make life a bit easier for the ordinary man. It will come as a relief also to commuters in the greater Gaborone as workers from places such as Lobatse and Mochudi, would once again rely on the train for travel to and from work at affordable prices. As we celebrate the return of the Blue Train, we cannot ignore the importance of connecting the nearby towns such as Molepolole, Kanye, to the railway line to make their lives easier as well.
