Transport in Madagascar

Railways

Main article: Rail transport in Madagascar

The northern railway (TCE) is concessioned to Madarail. The southern line, Fianarantsoa-Côte-Est railway (FCE), is a parastatal line.

total: 875 km (544 mi)
narrow gauge: 875 km (544 mi) 1.000-m gauge (2006969)

There are two unconnected systems. (see picture at right)——>

Interfaces

• Continuous Brakes: The pad rubs against the wheel, creating friction which stops the train.
• Couplers: Centre buffer and two side hooks and chains.

Cities served by rail

Main article: Railway stations in Madagascar

• Antananarivo - national capital
• Toamasina - chief seaport

Highways

total: 49,837 km (30,967 mi)
paved: 5,781 km (3,648 mi)
unpaved: 44,056 km (27,375 mi) (1996 est.)

Routes Nationales (National roads)

Number	Length (km)	Runs through	Condition
N1	149	Antananarivo – Analavory – Tsiroanomandidy – Belobaka	parts are paved
N1b	94	Analavory – Babetville – Tsiroanomandidy
N2	367	Antananarivo – Toamasina	paved, good condition
N3	91	Antananarivo – Anjozorobe – Lake Alaotra	paved
N3a	180	Lake Alaotra – Andilamena	paved, good condition
N3b	106	Sambava – Andapa	paved, good condition
N4		Antananarivo – Mahajanga	paved
N5	402	Toamasina – Maroantsetra	first 160 paved, remaining: unpaved in bad condition
N5a	406	Ambilobe – Antalaha	unpaved between Ambilobe – Vohemar remaining paved, in good condition
N6	727	Antsiranana – Ambondromamy	paved
N7		Antananarivo – Tulear	paved, good condition
N8	198	Morondava – Belo-sur-Tsiribihina – Bekopaka	unpaved
N8a	119	Maintirano – Antsalova
N9	382	Tuléar – Bevoay – Manja – Mandabe	unpaved
N10	512	Andranovory – Beloha – Ambovombe	unpaved
N11	103	Mananjary – Nosy Varika	unpaved, bad condition
N11a	125	junction RN2 – Vatomandry Ilaka Atsinana – Mahanoro	partly paved
N12	300	Irondro – Manakara – Farafangana – Vangaindrano	paved, partly in bad condition
N12a	238	Tôlanaro (Fort Dauphin) – Manantenina – Vangaindrano	unpaved, bad condition
N13	506	Ihosy – Ambovombe – Tôlanaro (Fort Dauphin)	unpaved between Ihosy – Ambovombe, paved but bad condition from Ambovombe – Tôlanaro (Fort Dauphin)
N22	38	Fenoarivo Atsinanana (Fénérive) – Vavatenina	mostly paved
N24	45	Mananjary – Vohilava, Mananjary	unpaved
N25	161	Ambohimahasoa – Irondro – Mananjary	partly paved, partly unpaved in bad condition
N27	275	Ihosy – Ivohibe – Farafangana	largely unpaved
N31	129	Antsohihy – Bealanana	mostly paved
N32	200	Antsohihy – Mandritsara	unpaved
N33	340	Ambatondrazaka – Ambondromamy	unpaved
N34	368	Antsirabe – Miandrivazo – Malaimbandy	Antsirabe – Miandrivazo: paved; Miandrivazo – Malaimbandy: unpaved
N35	460	Ambositra – Malaimbandy – Morondava	paved, bad condition
N41		Ambositra – Fandriana
N43		Analavory – Ampefy – Soavinandriana – Ambohibary – Sambaina	paved
N44		Moramanga – Ambatondrazaka – Imerimandroso	partly paved
N55	78	Bevoay – Morombe	unpaved

The majority of "paved" roads outside the capital can no longer be considered so due to heavy use, erosion and lack of maintenance. Due to excessive rainfall in the regions, land slides have depleted roads.

Waterways

Of local importance only; isolated streams and small portions of Lakandranon' Ampangalana (Canal des Pangalanes) navigated by pirogue. Coastal inter-city transport routes, especially on the west coast.

Ports and harbors

Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara, Port d'Ehola (Tôlanaro). The country's principal cargo port is Toamasina Autonomous Port.

Merchant marine

total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,819 GRT/34,173 tonnes deadweight (DWT)
ships by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 1, liquified gas 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off 2 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

Main international airport in Madagascar is Ivato International Airport (Antananarivo).

For other airports see: List of airports in Madagascar.

total: 29
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 104
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 59
under 914 m: 42 (1999 est.)

See also

• Madagascar
• List of airports by ICAO code

External links

• Mada Bus - inter-city bus transport. Bankrupt in 2008, due to an internal fraud by some staff members. Madabus has closed down.
• Helicopter Antananarivo - Helicopter Charter Service in Antananarivo
• Madagascar Helicopter - helicopter transfer service in Madagascar
• Report about Madarail and TCE (Tananarive-Côtes Est) by photojournalist Rijasolo