The business of the weekend done in Abuja, it was time to head off to Kaduna. I had heard good things about the Abuja-Kaduna line, time to experience it myself.
The first challenge was getting information on the location of the train station, for some reason, I only made calls and never really checked it on the map. Was I groggy from 27 hours spent on the train from Lagos to Minna
I had a vague idea of the location from talking to a couple of people and I set out by 0430 to catch the train, the departure was billed for 6 am. On the road and the first taxi told me 3,000 naira, what?
I jumped and pass, then spent another 20 mins before I even got a taxi willing to head that way. Fast forward to a few minutes past 5am and we finally left from Asokoro Area for the station. Arguing fares to places you really do not know seems not to be a good idea.
Let me skip all the painful details of having to queue for petrol since the taxi cab did not have enough fuel to get to the train station and back, taking wrong turns- the taxi driver had done the trip once in daylight- we got to the station by five minutes past 6 am and the train had departed. I have not missed a departure time for ages and this was painful.
Choices, wait at the station for the 1155 am train or go back to town? Nah, nothing useful to do back in town and it would just be a dash in, then start heading back.
The station is still under construction, parts completed are nice and clean.
Killing six hours is not hard, I had two books in my bag, a cooler full of chilled water, what is not to like?
Good time to explore the limited space available, departure hall was big and spacious
Ticket sales started two hours to departure time for the midday train. Well organised system
And finally, time to board
The interior of the train was nice and clean, good air-conditioning, movies and I understand there is a bar in First Class which is open to all. A couple of charging points for your modcons, luggage rack overhead and a space for heavier luggage at the ends of the coaches. I just leaned back and took a quick nap.
A couple of charging points for your modcons, luggage rack overhead and a space for heavier luggage at the ends of the coaches. I just leaned back and took a quick nap.
Two hours later, we arrived Rigasa station in Kaduna, a quick sprint for a cab (there are buses to take passengers to the airport) and we made it to Kaduna airport in time to catch the Aero flight back to Lagos.
And the journey ended!
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