Yuletide : FG Flags Off Free Nationwide Train Ride

In a bid to ease the sufferings of Nigeria particularly during Christmas celebration, the Nigerian Federal Government has flagged off the free train ride across the country .

According to the federal government, Nigerians who want to travel during the yuletide would enjoy a free train ride from 20th December to 5th January 2025.

Acting Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr. Ben Iloanusi said the Corporation projects transporr over 340,000 passengers during the period.

Iloanusi who disclosed this at the Kubwa train station in Abuja on Friday after the first train departed Abuja for Rigasa in Kaduna State however enjoined Nigerians to remain patient with the Tinubu led administration, promising that things must get better.

He also assured that security has been beefed up to protect passengers, manage crowds and ensure orderliness.

He said: “Today is the first free ride palliative set by the federal government, and It’s a very grand idea. We assure Nigerians that we will enforce the free train ride and make sure it goes successfully.”

On requirements to board the train, Iloanusi said: “Prospective passengers are expected to book their tickets online free of charge and then come with a means of identification to the station before boarding and for those who may be unable to get tickets online, they would be profiled by our staff before they board.”

On the number of passengers the Corporation estimates to transport during the yuletide, he said: “We have an average of 20,000 passengers every day that will ride the train free of charge. So approximately, we are going to carry about 340,000 passengers over the period. We are expecting this to last until early January. So today, on average, we’ve done 20,000 across the routes where the free train ride is happening.

“The routes are Abuja-Kaduna route, Lagos-Ibadan route, Port Harcourt-Aba route, Lagos-Mass Transit route, and Wari-Itakpe route. Today, all the routes went seamlessly. The passengers boarded those with tickets and those without tickets. The ones without tickets were profiled.”

To ensure seamless operation, the MD appealed to passengers to be orderly and get to the station at least 45 minutes before departure time.