A month after the reopening of the Kinshasa-Matadi railway line, the National Office for Transport (ONATRA) has released the official passenger fares for the new express train, seen as a key step in the revival of rail travel between Kinshasa and Kongo Central province.
According to a press release issued on October 14, 2025, by ONATRA Director General Martin Lukusa Cibangu Panu, first-class tickets are priced at $25, while luxury class seats cost $50. Payments must be made in Congolese francs at the prevailing exchange rate and at least 48 hours before departure to allow for better scheduling and traffic management, the company said.
The new fares represent a slight increase from those that circulated online in mid-September following the line’s reopening. Earlier, tickets were reportedly priced at $46 for VIP, $23 for first class, and $6 for second class. The official pricing eliminates the second class and raises rates for upper categories, a move already drawing public criticism.
For comparison, a Transco bus covering the same 366-kilometer route costs about $20 per passenger.
Beyond passenger services, the reactivation of the Kinshasa-Matadi line is expected to ease the movement of more than 4 million tons of goods that pass annually through the Port of Matadi. The renewed service should help decongest National Highway No. 1 and boost trade between the capital and the Atlantic coast.
Ronsard Luabeya
