Mixed feelings over hike by railways fares

By allcitynews.ng

Commuters have expressed their displeasure over the hike in railways fares even as they wondered what are the masses benefiting from government.

Describing the skyrocket fares of rail by over 100 per cent in most routes in Nigeria, they called on government to reduce the fares in order to make Nigerians to patronise train services.

A commuter, Mr Aloba Akanji said as long as “transport by road from Lagos to Ibadan is N500 and highest N700 during festive périods, many people will shun the travelling by rail because of the skyrocketed fares.

” Is this a way to make Nigerians enjoy the dividends of democracy? Or is the train movement meant for the rich alone? Government should know that no public or political class figures will travel by train, so, they should review the fares downward if they want the public to enjoy the rides.”

It would be recalled that the General Secretary of Nigeria Union of Railways men (NUR) Comrade Segun Esan, in a separate statement criticised the new fares, noting that the new fare regime doesn’t look publicist or train commuter-friendly, but rather very high and quite instructively demonstrative of the consequences of building a railway with borrowed funds.

For instance, a one-way business class ticket on train from Abuja to Kaduna now goes for N6,000 from its initial N3,000, while an economy class ticket that used to be sold for N1,500 now goes as high as N3,000, representing 100 per cent hike.

Besides, a document made available to our correspondent, which indicated the fare list for some routes in the Southwest, showed that fares from Lagos to Ibadan (Zone 1-2) is between N2,500 to N6,000 depending on the number of seats in a train.

For instance, 24 seater train on Lagos-Ibadan route goes for N6,000, 56 seater; N5,00, 68 seater; N3,500, while 88 seater is sold for N2,500.

Also, Lagos to Abeokuta (Zone 1 only), one-way ticket for a 24 seater train is sold for N4,500, 56 seater; N3,500, 68 seater; N3,000 and 88 seater is sold for N2,000.

Besides, Abeokuta to Ibadan (Zone 2 only) fare tickets range from N600 to N2,000, depending on the number of seats.

For a 32 seater train, one-way ticket goes for N2,000, 56 seater; N1,500, 68 seater; N1,000, while 88 seater sells for N600.

Before the introduction of the new rates, which were announced early last week, one-way ticket to Ibadan from Lagos was less than N2,000, while Abeokuta to Ibadan was less than N1,000.