Money from China and Africa's renaissance on rails

The Chinese-built railway linking the port city of Mombasa with the capital, Nairobi, is Kenya's biggest infrastructure project since independence. The passegner train, dubbed the Madaraka (Freedom) Express, can carry 1,260 passengers and replaces the so-called "Lunatic Express" - a railway built by colonial Britain more than a century ago, which was known for lengthy delays and breakdowns.

About 25,000 Kenyan and 3,000 Chinese workers took part in the construction of the 472-kilometer route between Mombasa and Nairobi. China financed about 90 percent of the construction costs, while the Kenyan government is providing the remaining 20 percent. The newly opened railway is the first phase of a project to connect Kenya's landlocked neighbors Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan to Mombasa.

Since July, 175 kilometers (116 miles) of rail have connected Nigeria's capital, Abuja, to Kaduna state in the north. It cost about 800 million euros ($896.5) to construct. The Export-Import Bank of China provided approximately 450 million euros.

Nigerian President Muhmmadu Buhari was a special guest on the new train's maiden trip. A ticket for the two-hour, 40-minute journey goes for the equivalent of 3 euros for economy class and 4.25 euros for first class.

The first light rail line in Ethiopia's capital went active in 2015. It was built by the China Railway Group - also with funding from China EximBank. The Chinese will be involved in the operation and maintenance of the light rail system until 2020. Then the Ethiopian Railways Corporation should take over.

Rail transport in Africa goes back a long way. In 1856 the route between Alexandria and Cairo was opened. These steam engines are said to have been running from the beginning of the 20th century to 1976 in Zambia. They are exhibited at the Railway Museum in Livingstone.

A number of railway lines were constructed by the colonialists in Africa. The trains transported raw materials to the coast, where they would then be shipped to Europe. Many of these routes are dilapidated. The relics in the photo belong to the original railway line between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, built in 1914 but replaced in 1980.

In a 2015 statement, the African Development Bank emphasized the importance of the railway for the continent. It allows for the cheap transportation of goods and relieves urban congestion, according to the bank. The report also criticizes the poor condition of the rail networks. They mainly stretch across the north and the south and are often not linked to each other.

As economies grow in many African countries, a new emphasis has been placed on transport improvements. If China and other backers continue to invest, deserted train stations such as this one in Addis Ababa could function again.

The Gautrain regional rail network connects Pretoria and Johannesburg with the largest airport in Africa. It is to be expanded from the current 80 to 230 kilometers in the next 20 years. With about 21,000 kilometers of track, South Africa has by far the largest rail network in the continent. Sudan has 7,300 kilometers, and Egypt has 5,100 kilometers.

The continent's highest-speed trains are planned in the north. The first of 12 French TGV trains were delivered last June. The journey between Tangier and Casablanca should take 2 hours 10 minutes at a speed of up to 320 kilometers per hour, instead of the now 4 hours 45 minutes. The line will later extend to Algeria and Tunisia.