A century ago, the fastest way from Accra to Kumasi was by train. Today, most of the old Eastern line is overgrown, and the journey takes five hours or more by road.
The British built railways in the Gold Coast to carry minerals and cocoa to the coast. The first line, from Sekondi to Tarkwa, opened in 1901 and reached Kumasi in 1903. The Eastern line, from Accra to Kumasi, was begun in 1909 and completed in 1923. It passed through the cocoa-growing areas of the Eastern Region, including towns such as Nsawam and Koforidua.
Cocoa and passengers
The railway carried cocoa, timber and other goods to the coast, and passengers between towns and the capital. Stations became centres of trade, and towns grew along the line. For many Ghanaians of older generations, the train to Kumasi or to the coast is a vivid memory, with vendors selling food through the windows at every stop.
Decline
From the 1970s onward, the railways declined. Lack of investment, poor maintenance and competition from road transport took their toll. Tracks deteriorated, trains broke down and services were cut. By the 2000s, much of the network had stopped operating. Some tracks were stolen or covered by buildings and markets.
Suburban services
In Accra, suburban trains have run at times between the city centre, Tema and Nsawam, carrying commuters. Services have been interrupted repeatedly by breakdowns and repairs.
A revival?
Successive governments have promised to rebuild the railways. A Ministry of Railways Development was created, and new standard gauge lines were planned. The Tema to Mpakadan line, running from the port of Tema toward the Volta Lake, was built in recent years to link sea and lake transport, and it made test runs in 2024. Work has also been done on the Western line from Takoradi.
Critics point to the high cost of the projects and to delays. Supporters say rail is essential to reduce road congestion, accidents and the cost of moving goods.
Why it matters
Heavy trucks carrying goods between the ports and the north damage roads and cause accidents. A working railway could move cargo more cheaply and safely.
The Eastern line took fourteen years to build. Rebuilding Ghana’s railways may take just as long, and it will need more than one government’s term to finish.
