The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has recorded low patronage as it commenced Lagos to Kano rail transport, due to heavy downpour in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who monitored the take-off of the train at Ido on Friday in Lagos observed that the train departed at 12 :10 p:m.NAN also reports that most of the passengers on board the train were drenched before getting to the Ido station.
The Lagos District Manager of the NRC, Mr Jerry Oche, told NAN that the corporation began the weekly Lagos /Kano train operation on Friday and would only operate on Fridays.
He urged Nigerians to take advantage of affordable train transportation to save costs and connect to any part of the country.
“The train ticket fee to various stations is as follows: from Lagos to Abeokuta on First Class is N450 while Economy class is N350; Ibadan to Lagos on first class is N850 while the economy is N550; Edo between N1,200 and N800; Oshogbo between N1,1250 and N850; Offa between N1,450 and N950; Ilorin N1,650 and N1,100 while Jebba, N2,050 and N1,300.
“Also, the price from Mokwa is between N2,200 and N1,450; Kutiwengi N2,500 and N1,650; Akerri N2,650 andN1,750; Minna N2,800 and N1,850; Serikinpawa N3,050 and N1,950; Kaduna Junction N3,700 and 2,400; Zaria N4,000 and N2, 600 while the last station is Kano with a fee of between N4,600 and N2,950.“The train will stop at 16 different stations between 97 kilometres to Abeokuta and 1,126 kilometres to Kano,” Oche said.
He said that there were armed policemen and civil defence corps on board the trains, adding that the train would move for a duration of 30 hours between Lagos to Kano.
One of the passengers, Mr Adamu Kamilu, said he was travelling to Zaria to continue his farming profession after selling rams in Lagos.
Kamilu commended the Federal Government for considering middle and low-class level citizens in the country by reviving narrow gauge railway transportation.
Hajia Tawakalitu Lawal, who bought Ilorin ticket said the price was affordable for ordinary persons in the country.
Mr Osagie Eromosele, appreciated President, Muhammadu Buhari, for reviving railway transportation which he said would boost interstate economy.
(NAN)
