Current railway stations in Ethiopia are served by standard gauge railways of the National Railway Network of Ethiopia which is mostly under construction, except the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway. Other stations were built for the in 2018 still operating metre gauge Ethio-Djibouti Railways, although this railway has officially been superseded by the new Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway.
The following list contains dedicated railway stations with at least a single platform for passengers to enter or to leave trains. Train stops on open stretches without platform can outnumber train stops in railway stations by a 2:1 margin, but the former are not included in the lists. The railways usually also have a number of freight yards and dry ports for freight handling, but these are not counted as well.
Standard gauge railways Description of railway stations
Railway stations mostly have a single platform for passengers to enter or to leave trains. These platforms allow access without having the need to use stairs. Some have two platforms connected through a footbridge above the overhead catenary system. The platforms are roofed to protect passengers against sun, wind and rain. Railway stations for passenger trains always have a station building directly attached to the back of the principal platform. Consequently, all railway stations with a single platform have space for only one platform line and do not allow the presence of more than one train at the platform at the same time. In contrast, railway stations with two platforms have the space for two or three platform lines. All platforms are around 330 meters long.
The station buildings are used for ticketing and for refreshments and contain waiting rooms and even rooms for prayers. They have media available (at least electricity, water). The outer appearance of station buildings of the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway shows some sort of architectural eclecticism including Ethiopian elements with some Chinese interpretation and rounded elements. The railway station buildings on the Awash–Hara Gebeya Railway are rather functional and rectangular.
The stations on the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway were built in 2015 and 2016, the stations on the Awash–Hara Gebeya Railway were built in 2017 and 2018 for the section between Awash and Kombolcha. For the sections between Kombolcha and Hara Gebeya and between Hara Gebeya and Mek'ele, all stations are planned. No clear date for building them is known.
In the following, most stations are coined [sic] closed, these do exist but there is no use by passengers yet (train stations would be operational but there are no scheduled passenger services yet). Some stations are called U/C, meaning under construction, others are planned and do not exist up to now. In total, there are 36 railway stations (existing, under construction and planned).
List of railway stations Passenger railway stations The stations below are passenger railway stations on operational railways and on railways currently under construction. Some of them are "open" (means, they see passengers), some of them are "closed" (means they are ready for service but not in use for the moment.
Other railway stations are under construction ("U/C") or are "planned" (while the railway is under construction already).
+ Station Railway Platforms platformlength [m] Status Image Remarks Adama Addis Ababa–Djibouti 1400 open also freight Addis Ababa – Indode Addis Ababa–Djibouti 1 closed mainly freight Addis Ababa – Furi-Labu Addis Ababa–Djibouti 2400 + 400 open Addis Ababa Main Station Adi Gudem Hara Gebeya–Mek'ele 1 planned Alamata Hara Gebeya–Mek'ele 1 planned Amibara Awash–Hara Gebeya 1 U/C Awash Addis Ababa–Djibouti Awash–Hara Gebeya 3 U/C Junction of two linesalso freight Bike Addis Ababa–Djibouti 1200 closed also freight Bishoftu Addis Ababa–Djibouti 1200 closed Dewale Addis Ababa–Djibouti 2 300 + 300 closed also freight;platforms separatedby 1 km down the line Dirē Dawa Addis Ababa–Djibouti 1400 open also freight Feto Addis Ababa–Djibouti 1200 closed Hara Gebeya Awash–Hara GebeyaHara Gebeya–Mek'ele 1 planned future junction Hayk Awash–Hara Gebeya 2 planned Karakore Awash–Hara Gebeya 1 U/C Kobo Hara Gebeya–Mek'ele 1 planned Kombolcha Awash–Hara Gebeya 2 U/C Megale Hara Gebeya–Mek'ele 1 planned Mehoni Hara Gebeya–Mek'ele 1 planned Mek'ele Airport Hara Gebeya–Mek'ele 1 planned Mekoy Awash–Hara Gebeya 1 U/C Mersa Awash–Hara Gebeya 1 planned Metehara Addis Ababa–Djibouti 1200 closed Mieso Addis Ababa–Djibouti 1200 closed Modjo Addis Ababa–Djibouti 1300 closed freight for Modjo Dry Port Sebeta Addis Ababa–Djibouti 1200 closed Sembeta Awash–Hara Gebeya 1 U/C Shewa Robit Awash–Hara Gebeya 2 U/C
Railways in planning stage The railway stations provided below are for planned railways. As these railways are in planning stage, the stations and station names are very preliminary and subject to change.
+ Station Railway Platforms Status Image Remarks Axum Mekele-Shire 1 Planned Shire Mekele-Shire 2 Planned Hara Gebeya Hara Gebeya-Metema 1 Planned Junction Wereta Hara Gebeya-Metema 1 Planned Future junction * Bahir Dar Hara Gebeya-Metema 1 Planned * Finote Selam Hara Gebeya-Metema 1 Planned Future branch terminus Azezo Hara Gebeya-Metema 1 Planned Aykal Hara Gebeya-Metema 1 Planned Genda Wuha Hara Gebeya-Metema 1 Planned Metema Hara Gebeya-Metema 1 ? Planned near Sudan border Hara Gebeya Hara Gebeya-Port Tadjoura 2 Planned Junction futureNorth-Eastern Line Semera Hara Gebeya-Port Tadjoura 1 Planned Dichoto Hara Gebeya-Port Tadjoura 1 Planned Elidar Hara Gebeya-Port Tadjoura 1 Planned ET-DJ Border Tadjoura Hara Gebeya-Port Tadjoura 1 ? Planned Port in northern Djibouti. Sebeta Sebeta-Kurmuk 1 Planned Planned Junction Western Line Ambo Sebeta-Kurmuk 1 Planned Ejaji Sebeta-Kurmuk 1 Planned Future Junction South-western line Nekemte Sebeta-Kurmuk 1 Planned Nejo Sebeta-Kurmuk 1 Planned Asosa Sebeta-Kurmuk 1 Planned Kurmuk Sebeta-Kurmuk 1 ? Planned Near Sudan Border Ejaji Ejaji-Dima 1 ? Planned Future junctionSouth-Western line Seka Ejaji-Dima 1 Planned Jimma Ejaji-Dima 1 Planned Intermediate junction * Bedele Ejaji-Dima 1 Planned Intermediate terminus Tepi Ejaji-Dima 1 Planned Dima Ejaji-Dima 1 ? Planned Near South Sudan Border Boma, South Sudan Ejaji-Dima 1 ? Planned Across South Sudan border Modjo Modjo-Moyale 1 ? Planned Future JunctionSouthern line Ziway Modjo-Moyale 1 Planned Shashemene Modjo-Moyale 1 Planned Intermediate Junction * Hawassa Modjo-Moyale 1 Planned Intermediate Terminus Soddo Modjo-Moyale 1 Planned Arba Minch Modjo-Moyale 1 Planned Konso Modjo-Moyale 1 Planned Intermediate Junction * Weyto Modjo-Moyale 1 Planned Intermediate Terminus Tabelo Modjo-Moyale 1 Planned Mega Modjo-Moyale 1 Planned Ziway Modjo-Moyale 1 Planned Moyale Modjo-Moyale 1 ? Planned Near Kenya Border Adama Adama-Ginir 1 ? Planned Future junctionSouthEastern line Keya Adama-Ginir 1 ? Planned Future intermediate junction * Asella Adama-Ginir 1 ? Planned Future intermediate terminus Robe Adama-Ginir 1 Planned Indeto Adama-Ginir 1 ? Planned Gasera Adama-Ginir 1 ? Planned Ginir Adama-Ginir 1 ? Planned Future terminus Desert separates Somalia
Metre gauge railway The metre gauge Ethio-Djibouti Railway was built between 1898-1917. Railway station buildings were built in part later, in part never. Only the two main cities along the line (Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa) saw bigger and dedicated station buildings with platforms. Most railway stations were composed of very simple single-room buildings, sometimes open without walls, sometimes closed, sometimes like goats sheds. No platforms.
Three types of railway stations exist: open, abandoned and defunct. The latter still exist while the status of abandoned railway stations is uncertain. Maybe they were totally demolished, maybe not. There are also some open railway stations, as the metre gauge railway still operates in 2018 with passenger services.
Main stations
Station built Status Image Dire Dawa 1902 / 1910 open - Addis Ababa1917 / 1929 defunct -
Other stations
+ Station built Status Image Shinile open El Bah open Harewa open Milo open Adigale open Lasarat open Ayesha open Adele open Dewele open Akaka Beseka abandoned Bishoftu abandoned Mojo abandoned Adama abandoned Welenchiti abandoned Borchotto abandoned Malka Jilo abandoned Metehara abandoned Awash abandoned Arba Bordode abandoned Kora abandoned Asabot abandoned Mieso defunct Mulu defunct Afdem defunct Bike defunct Gotha defunct Erer defunct Hurso defunct
See also Transport in Ethiopia Rail transport in Ethiopia Railway stations in Djibouti Railway stations in Sudan Railway stations in Eritrea Lamu Port and Lamu-Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor List of cities and towns in Ethiopia
References
External links UN Horn of Africa Map ET Map The Franco-Ethiopian and Djibouto-Ethiopian Railway Gradient profile NatGeo Map NationsOnline Map