“This vintage colonial railway station sits at the foot of Kilimanjaro, where trains once pulled in beneath the snows of Africa's highest mountain.”
About Old Railway Station
The Germans extended the railway to Moshi in the early 1900s to connect the productive Kilimanjaro coffee and sisal country with the port of Tanga. The station served as a vital link for the region's exports through the colonial and early independence years. As roads supplanted the railway, the station lost its central role, leaving the period building as a heritage landmark.
Overview
The Old Railway Station at Moshi is a colonial-era station building at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, a relic of the railway that the Germans pushed up to the mountain town in the early 20th century. With its vintage architecture and the snows of Kilimanjaro rising behind the tracks, it is a nostalgic and photogenic corner of the gateway town to Africa's highest peak.
The Old Railway Station at Moshi is a colonial-era station building at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, a relic of the railway that the Germans pushed up to the mountain town in the early 20th century.
Rails Beneath the Snows
The railway reached Moshi during the German colonial period, linking the fertile, coffee-rich Kilimanjaro region to the coast at Tanga and helping to open the area to trade. The line carried coffee, sisal and passengers for decades. As road transport took over, the station faded from its former importance, but the handsome old building remains, now a quiet landmark where visitors can picture the great mountain looming over the arriving trains.
The Experience
You take in the old station's colonial architecture with the extraordinary backdrop of Kilimanjaro, often snow-capped, behind the tracks. It is a brief, atmospheric stop in Moshi, the base town for Kilimanjaro climbs, where you can sense the era of rail travel and admire the mountain. Cafes and the relaxed town centre are close at hand.
Why It Matters
The Old Railway Station tells part of the story of how the Kilimanjaro region was opened up to trade and the wider world, through the colonial railways that carried its coffee and sisal. As a vintage building beneath Africa's highest mountain, it adds a layer of history to Moshi, the launch point for countless Kilimanjaro expeditions.
The Old Railway Station tells part of the story of how the Kilimanjaro region was opened up to trade and the wider world, through the colonial railways that carried its coffee and sisal.
Why Visit
A nostalgic colonial railway station at the foot of Kilimanjaro, a quick, photogenic stop in Moshi with the mountain rising behind the old tracks.
✦ Insider Tips
- 1
Time it for a clear morning to catch Kilimanjaro behind the station.
- 2
Moshi is the main base town for Kilimanjaro climbs.
- 3
Pair it with the town's coffee culture and cafes.
