The Nigerian Railway Corporation has recorded low patronage as it commenced Lagos to Kano rail transport due to heavy downpour in Lagos.
A News Agency of Nigeria Correspondent who monitored the take-off of the train at Ido on Friday in Lagos, observed that the train departed at 12:10pm.
NAN also reports that most of the passengers onboard the train were drenched before getting to the Ido station.
The Lagos District Manager of the NRC, 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 the affordable train transportation to save cost and connect to any part of the country.
Oche said: “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 economy is N550; Edo between N1,200 and N800; Osogbo 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 and N1,750; 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 fee of between N4,600 and N2,950.
“The train will stop at 16 different stations between 97 kilometers to Abeokuta and 1,126 kilometers to Kano.”
Oche said there were armed policemen and civil defence corps on board the trains, adding that it would move for a duration of 30 hours between Lagos to Kano.
One of the passengers, Adamu Kamilu, said he was traveling to Zaria in Kaduna State 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 the narrow gauge railway transportation.
Hajia Tawakalitu Lawal, who bought Ilorin ticket, said the price was affordable for ordinary persons in the country.
Osagie Eromosele appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for reviving railway transportation, which he said would boost inter-state economy.