One of the world’s longest trains stretches a whopping 1.8 miles and travels more than 400 miles along the great plains of the Sahara Desert in Africa. Primarily a freight train, it carries iron ore from a major mining centre to the Atlantic Ocean. However, a small number of passengers are also allowed to take the journey.
Linking the mining centre of Zouérat with the Atlantic port of Nouadhibou, it travels 704 kilometres (437 miles) across Mauritania to transport a resource that forms a major part of the country’s economy. The giant feat of engineering has anywhere between 200 to 300 freight cars at one time, and can weigh up to 84 tonnes, making it not only one of the longest trains in the world but also among the heaviest.
Construction of the Mauritanian iron ore train began in 1960, and it opened in 1963. The railway became so vital to the country’s economy that it was nationalised in 1974.
Following Mauritania’s annexation of southern Western Sahara in 1976, the line was under attack by the Polisario Front, effectively putting it out of use, which had a huge impact on the economy.
After President Moktar Ould Daddah was overthrown by the army in 1978, followed by a withdrawal from Western Sahara the following year, repairs were conducted and trains started using it once again in the early 1980s.
While it is technically a freight train, there is one passenger cabin, and the state agency Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière (SNIM) allows locals and tourists to board the train.
Those who have undertaken the journey recommend using guides to navigate it, as there are no ticket offices, conductors, dining carts, or announcements.
As Young Pioneer Tours explained, the train is not bound to any timetable and may leave earlier or later than the usual departure time, and the trip can take anywhere from 11 to 15 hours.
However, the title for the longest train is up for grabs. In Brazil, a 3.2 km train, the same length as the Mauritian iron ore train, travels along the Carajás railroad, also transporting iron ore from Carajás.
