There are more than 7000 airports indexed registered at the International Air Transport Association (Iata), with 600 of those hand- ling more than one-million passengers a year.
Around 150 of these 600 airports have rail access directly to the terminals, with only 23 of the 150 featuring dedicated, purpose-built airport rail links. The Heathrow Express, in London, and the Gautrain, servicing OR Tambo International Airport, are two examples.says Global AirRail Alliance (GARA) director Milda Manomaityte.
While sharing ideas and best practices on how to connect airports with passenger rail networks, Manomaityte noted that Airport rail links are growing in popularity, with about 200 global rail link projects to be implemented over the next 30 years. Of this number, 14 of these planned projects are in Africa.
For instance, the Abuja Light Rail project, which costs $823-million, is a contract for the design and construction of lots one to three of the system awarded to China Civil Engineering Construction Cooperation in May 2007.
It contains three phases that include a line terminating at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport with the official opening date slated for this year.
In Abidjan, the capital of Cote D’Ivoire, the $1-billion Abidjan Metro project is currently under construction. A French-Korean consortium signed a build-operate-transfer concession agreement for the Abidjan Metro Line 1 on the July 6, 2015, says Manomaityte.
The consortium comprises Hyundai Rotem (33%), Bouygues subsidiaries DTP Terrassement and Bouygues Travaux Publics (33%), Keolis (25%) and Dongsan Engineering (9%).
Under the agreement, Hyundai Rotem will supply the rolling stock and signalling, Dongsan is doing the electrification work, DTP Terrassement and Bouygues Travaux Publics the engineering work and Keolis will operate the line.
The 37 km line will connect the northern and southern suburbs through the city centre, and serve Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport. The first phase is due to be completed in 2019, with passenger services starting in 2020.
From East Africa, the Nairobi Commuter Rail project aims to rehabilitate 160 km of the existing railway system in Nairobi, Kenya, and to build 7 km of new track to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
The $350-million project also aims for the rehabilitation and construction of railway stations and the integration of a new signalling system, as well as the acquisition of new purpose-built rolling stock.
Phase 1 of the project has been completed following the construction of the Syokimau railway station and a 2 km line linking it to the old Embakasi railway line.
Kenya Railways Corporation has contracted InFraCo Group to build a new line connecting Embakasi to JKIA. The project is to be implemented as a private–public partnership (PPP) between Kenya Railways, the government of Kenya and InFraCo Africa.
Blaise Diagne International Airport is currently under construction in Senegal. It will serve as a new airport for Dakar, as the old airport has become too small to accommodate the passenger influx.
Construction of a new electric regional express train is expected to begin in 2017. Serving 14 stations, the system will be able to move 115 000 passengers a day, carrying them to the new airport in less than 45 minutes.
