Le Train Express Régional (Ter) de Dakar experienced a spectacular fall in frequency in 2024, with nearly 20 million passengers at least according to the figures published by the société d’exploitation du Train Express Régional (Seter). This loss, justified by technical problems and service interruptions, highlights the challenges faced by this ambitious project whose aim is to unblock the routes of the Senegalese capital. However, the results obtained remain well below expectations, reports the journal Les Echos. While the second phase, in progress, envisages connecting the network to the International Airport Blaise Diagne (Aibd) and increasing its capacity to 300,000 passengers per day, a decrease in the frequency of the Regional Express Train (TER) of Dakar in 2024 is noted. It can be attributed to several factors, combining technical, organizational problems and perhaps changes in the habits of users in the first place. According to the newspaper, the recurrent technical problems with the increasingly frequent breakdowns occasioning repeated service interruptions such as the one reported in October 2024 for works at Rufisque have discouraged many users, affecting the perception of the reliability of the TER. In addition, the high cost for some users may also be a reason for this decrease in attendance. The high expectations for the TER as a flagship project may have amplified criticisms of the malfunctions. In addition, the absence of fluid connections between the TER and other means of transport (buses, taxis, etc.) may complicate its use for daily travel.
TER: a decrease of 20 million passengers recorded in 2024
