The Bola Tinubu-led government, via the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has unveiled plans to operate special train services during the upcoming Christmas and New Year festivities.
The announcement, made by Yakub Mahmood, NRC’s Deputy Director of Public Relations, through the corporation’s official X account on Thursday, revealed that the services will run on scheduled passenger trains, in line with the Federal Government’s directive through the Ministry of Transportation.
The NRC noted that the special train services will ease travel congestion during the holidays.
While specific dates and schedules for the services are yet to be released, the corporation assured passengers that more details would follow soon.
“This end-of-the-year special train service on scheduled passenger trains is part of the government’s gesture towards an enjoyable end-of-the-year celebration,” the statement read.
The NRC extended festive greetings to passengers, wishing them a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in advance.
This year’s plan builds on a similar effort in 2023 when the Federal Government introduced a 50% fare reduction for interstate travel and offered free train services during the holidays.
These measures, running from December 21, 2023, to January 7, 2024, were widely praised as a timely response to the economic challenges faced by Nigerians.
The NRC’s special holiday services for 2024 are expected to replicate the success of previous years, providing budget-friendly and efficient travel alternatives for Nigerians during the festive period.
