New openings: Algeria and Guinea

[Baxenden Bank]

Algeria:
The 950km line from Bechar (31°41'11.3"N 2°09'36.9"W connection to existing line) to Gara Djebilet (approx 26°48'58.0"N 7°27'16.8"W) opened today (it is said). Mainly to serve iron-ore mines but also carries a passenger service. Partially shown on Open Railway Map, Google Aerial and Apple Aerial. Apple being the most comprehensive.

Guinea:
Slightly older news, the 550km line Transguinean line from Morebaya Port (9°25'49.8"N 13°22'55.0"W) to Feredou / Simandou Mine (9°07'19.3"N 9°00'14.8"W) opened in December. A 70 km branch at the eastern end will serve another mining area.
For the mining fan, specifically Simandou Mine blocks 1 & 2 (Winning Consortium Simandou WCS) and Simandou Mine blocks 3 & 4 Rio Tinto Simfer.

 

[RailExplorer]

I'm in Algeria right now and checked out the new passenger line details you posted about to see if it's worth trying to get to - it looks to be operated by units unless the news articles are all mixed up when it comes to text and photos (which does happen a lot).

Perhaps one for the next trip even if it is units.

Algeria:
The 950km line from Bechar (31°41'11.3"N 2°09'36.9"W connection to existing line) to Gara Djebilet (approx 26°48'58.0"N 7°27'16.8"W) opened today (it is said). Mainly to serve iron-ore mines but also carries a passenger service. Partially shown on Open Railway Map, Google Aerial and Apple Aerial. Apple being the most comprehensive.

Guinea:
Slightly older news, the 550km line Transguinean line from Morebaya Port (9°25'49.8"N 13°22'55.0"W) to Feredou / Simandou Mine (9°07'19.3"N 9°00'14.8"W) opened in December. A 70 km branch at the eastern end will serve another mining area.
For the mining fan, specifically Simandou Mine blocks 1 & 2 (Winning Consortium Simandou WCS) and Simandou Mine blocks 3 & 4 Rio Tinto Simfer.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

I'm in Algeria right now and checked out the new passenger line details you posted about to see if it's worth trying to get to - it looks to be operated by units unless the news articles are all mixed up when it comes to text and photos (which does happen a lot).

Perhaps one for the next trip even if it is units.

I'm very dubious about the news on progress / completion generally. The various online aerial / satellite images show lots of construction work on both lines mentioned but whether either is fully operational is less certain. It is possible to run a 'first fully loaded train' for publicity purposes but then row back to allow full operational completion and testing etc. I'm not certain how many of the locomotives required for Guinea have actually been delivered based on the press releases for first shipment / delivery and expected rate of subsequent deliveries.

I imagine the scenery on the Algerian route will be quite sandy and for the Guinean route quite tree lined.

Looking at Algerian proposals, Timbuktu may get it's Trans-Saharan railway after all! Chris Tarrant was in the wrong country when he was seeking that legendary line (Extreme Railways, series four, episode one). He went to Bouarfa in Morocco whereas the Trans-Saharan was a continuation south from Bechar in Algeria.

 

[MarcVD]

Looking at Algerian proposals, Timbuktu may get it's Trans-Saharan railway after all! Chris Tarrant was in the wrong country when he was seeking that legendary line (Extreme Railways, series four, episode one). He went to Bouarfa in Morocco whereas the Trans-Saharan was a continuation south from Bechar in Algeria.

But didn’t the line to Bouarfa also go to Colomb Bechar in the past ?

 

[Baxenden Bank]

But didn’t the line to Bouarfa also go to Colomb Bechar in the past ?

Yes, I realised that after posting.

I think my notes made after watching the TV programme were done before I looked in detail at former lines in Morocco / Algeria. The problem with Open Railway Map is that if you zoom out the lines disappear so you have to know where to look in some detail before you look. For more detail of the Trans-Sahara (historic) see this article Train Consultant Clive Lamming.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Feb 2026 ==

Regarding Algeria.
Extract from an Internation Railway Journal article:

The line will also be used by 160km/h passenger trains and Algerian National Railways (SNTF) will initially operate one round trip per day between Béchar and Tindouf with a journey time of 11h 30min and 11h 55min for the return journey.

source: International Railway Journal article dated 13 February 2026

Departs Bechar 0800, Tindouf 0900. Bookable on SNTF website.