Eritrea: Eritrean Railway Remnants

Eritrean Railway was once a total engineering marvel and one of the most incredible railways in the world. The railway was constructed between 1887-1932 by the Italian colonial government and played a crucial role in linking the highland regions to the coast, enabling the transport of goods and passengers between Asmara, on the central plateau, and Massawa on the Red Sea. The railway faced significant challenges due to the steep gradients of the Eritrean escarpment, dropping 2,325 m (7,628 feet). The line requires numerous switchbacks, tunnels, and viaducts, some of which are borderline insane engineering marvels. Alas….. it’s all completely gone now and not in use for decades. As you drive down to Massawa, there is an old railroad depot with some old carriages and rusting rails. Oh, and we saw a lot of locust in the acacia trees!