Lagos Red Line metro rail commences partial passenger operations after successful six-week trial run 

The Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line has commenced partial, invitational passenger operations on Wednesday, August 28th, 2024, following the successful completion of a six-week trial run.

The initial phase will see trains running four trips daily between Oyingbo and Agbado in Ogun State, marking a significant milestone in Lagos State’s efforts to modernize its transportation system.

This development was announced in a statement released on Wednesday by Kolawole Ojelabi, Head of Corporate Communication at Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).

“The Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line will begin partial, invitational passenger operations from Wednesday, 28th August 2024.

“The trains will run four trips a day between Oyingbo and Agbado. The Red Line, one of the six rail lines and one monorail prescribed for Lagos in her Strategic Transport Master Plan (STMP) is a vital transport project connecting Lagos with Ogun State where many workers and business owners in Lagos reside.

“This milestone marks the culmination of planning, training and technical and ground staff, installing all the security features and a successful six-week trial run conducted without passengers to ensure the system’s safety, reliability, and efficiency,” the statement read in part.

The statement further detailed that the partial operations will involve carefully selected groups of non-paying passengers from August 28 to September 27. These groups will participate in trial runs, providing crucial feedback on the system’s performance, efficiency, and overall user experience.

This feedback is essential for refining the operations before the Red Line opens fully to the public, ensuring that the service upholds the highest standards of safety, reliability, and commuter satisfaction.

How to register for LAMATA’s Red Line partial passenger trial rides 

In another post on their official account, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) on Tuesday shared a registration link for Lagosians interested in participating in the partial, invitational rides on the Red Line.

To join the trial rides, interested individuals must first visit the provided registration link and submit the required details for potential selection.

The registration process requires participants to provide a valid email address, full name, phone number, age bracket, preferred test ride date, trip group (morning or evening), and their choice of boarding station from any of the eight available stations: Mushin, Agege, Agbado, Oyingbo, Iju, Yaba, Oshodi, and Ikeja.

After submitting the form, participants will await further communication from LAMATA regarding their selection and additional details about the ride.

What you should know 

• The Red Line is a 37km rail project, with its first phase covering 27km from Agbado in Ogun State to Oyingbo, featuring eight strategically located stations: Agbado, Iju, Agege, Ikeja, Oshodi, Mushin, Yaba, and Oyingbo.

• Construction of this phase began on April 15, 2021, and it was inaugurated by President Bola Tinubu on February 29, 2024.

• The Red Line will share tracks with the Nigerian Railway Corporation’s Lagos to Ibadan route, thanks to a track-sharing agreement signed during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

• Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced the acquisition of trains from the United States, with additional rolling stock procured from the United Kingdom in 2023 and China earlier this year.

• The Lagos State Government estimates that the Red Line will initially transport 250,000 passengers daily, with this number expected to rise to 750,000 as the system becomes fully operational and additional rolling stock is integrated.
• Full passenger operations are projected to begin by the last quarter of 2024.