South Sudan has no operational rail network, with historical narrow-gauge lines defunct since independence. Current transportation infrastructure focuses on basic road rehabilitation and river transport, with significant development needs.
Historical Railway
Former Network
| Parameter |
Statistics |
Notes |
| Track Length |
248 km |
Defunct |
| Period |
Colonial-1960s |
No longer exists |
| Gauge |
1,067 mm |
Cape gauge |
| Route |
Wau-Babanusa |
Connected to Sudan |
Current Transport Infrastructure
| Parameter |
Statistics |
Notes |
| Total Road Length |
17,000 km |
Nominal |
| Paved Roads |
300 km |
Limited condition |
| All-weather Roads |
2,100 km |
Variable condition |
| Rural Tracks |
14,600 km |
Basic condition |
Major Transport Corridors
Primary Routes
| Route |
Length (km) |
Status |
Type |
| Juba-Nimule |
192 |
Paved |
International |
| Juba-Bor |
190 |
Unpaved |
Domestic |
| Juba-Yei |
170 |
Mixed |
Regional |
| Wau-Raja |
220 |
Basic |
Regional |
River Transport
Major Ports
| Facility |
Location |
Type |
Status |
| Juba Port |
Juba |
River port |
Limited |
| Bor Port |
Bor |
River port |
Basic |
| Malakal Port |
Malakal |
River port |
Limited |
River Operations
| Route |
Service Type |
Frequency |
Status |
| Juba-Bor |
Cargo/Passenger |
Irregular |
Seasonal |
| Bor-Malakal |
Cargo/Passenger |
Limited |
Seasonal |
| Local Services |
Mixed |
Variable |
Weather dependent |
Air Transport
Airports
| Facility |
Location |
Type |
Runway Length |
| Juba International |
Juba |
International |
2,400m |
| Malakal |
Malakal |
Regional |
2,000m |
| Wau |
Wau |
Regional |
1,800m |
| Rumbek |
Rumbek |
Regional |
1,700m |
Development Projects
Current Projects (2025-2026)
| Project |
Budget (USD M) |
Status |
Completion |
| Road Rehabilitation |
120 |
Ongoing |
2026 |
| River Port Upgrade |
45 |
Planning |
2026 |
| Airport Safety |
35 |
Active |
2026 |
Future Plans
| Initiative |
Estimated Cost (USD M) |
Status |
Timeline |
| Transport Master Plan |
25 |
Proposed |
2027 |
| Regional Connectivity |
180 |
Concept |
2027-2028 |
| Rural Access |
150 |
Planning |
2028 |
Environmental Considerations
Climate Adaptation
| Challenge |
Impact |
Mitigation Strategy |
| Flooding |
Critical |
Infrastructure elevation |
| Seasonal Rains |
High |
All-weather design |
| Soil Erosion |
High |
Protection measures |
| River Conditions |
High |
Seasonal planning |
Economic Impact
Transport Sector
| Area |
Direct Jobs |
Annual Value (USD M) |
| Road Transport |
3,000 |
45 |
| River Transport |
800 |
15 |
| Air Transport |
600 |
25 |
Development Priorities
Short Term (2025-2026)
| Priority |
Scope |
Investment Need |
| Basic Access |
Infrastructure |
Critical |
| Safety |
Operations |
High |
| Maintenance |
Essential |
High |
Long Term Vision
| Goal |
Approach |
Timeline |
| Regional Integration |
Corridor development |
2030 |
| Rural Connectivity |
Access improvement |
2028 |
| River Transport |
System rehabilitation |
2027 |
International Support
Development Partners
| Partner |
Focus Area |
Support Type |
| World Bank |
Infrastructure |
Financial/Technical |
| AfDB |
Transport |
Loans/Grants |
| EU |
Technical Assistance |
Capacity Building |
| China |
Infrastructure |
Investment |
Challenges & Solutions
Key Issues
| Challenge |
Impact |
Solution Strategy |
| Security |
Critical |
Phased development |
| Funding |
High |
International support |
| Technical Capacity |
High |
Training programs |
| Maintenance |
Critical |
Sustainable systems |
