Lagos To Switch Blue Rail Line To Electricity, Shut Down Service On Saturday, Sunday

The Lagos State government has declared its intention to temporarily halt the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line service on both Saturday and Sunday. This suspension is necessary to facilitate the transition of the rail service to an electricity-powered system.

The state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who made this known on Wednesday while giving an update on the metro line said the decision to shut down the rail service partly on Saturday and completely on Sunday is to ensure a successful switch to electricity.

The governor, however, said that suspending passenger operations is a global practice to effect major changes and that the switch to electricity will help the government introduce more trips and help the government serve more passengers safely.

According to him, the train trips will be increased from 12 to 54 starting from Monday with plans for 74 trips at the end of November, adding that since the LRMT Blue Line was launched on September 4, over 80,000 passengers have been moved with the goal of surpassing 150,000 daily passengers between Marina and Mile 2 in the coming months.

He said, “Here is an important update on our metro line. Starting Monday, October 16, 2023, we're increasing train trips on the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line from 12 to 54, with plans for 74 trips by the end of November.

“To make this transition, we'll need to shut down train services on Saturday, October 14 after the morning peak service and for the entire day on Sunday, October 15, for the switch to electricity. This momentary pause is to ensure that your safety is our top priority.

“I can assure you that suspending passenger operations is a global practice to effect major changes. This switch to electricity will help us introduce more trips and help us serve more passengers safely.

“I'm proud to say that we launched the first phase of the LRMT Blue Line on September 4, 2023 and we have moved over 80,000 passengers. Our goal is to surpass 150,000 daily passengers between Marina and Mile 2 in the coming months.

“The future of Lagos trains is bright, and I'm committed to improving your commuting experience. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to enhance our public transportation system.”