Currently more or less only running from Djibouti to Dire Dawa, the potential for a well functioning railway from Djibouti to Addis Ababa is great. The sheer amount of import and exports to/from Ethiopia through Djibouti puts an immense pressure on the capacity of the Ethiopian truck fleet and the environment is suffering. Negotiating your way on the road into Addis Ababa the pollution is overwhelming, much of it due to the huge truckfleet carrying heavy import or export loads.
The Ethiopian-Djiboutian Railway has a huge potential to transfer this tranport from road to rail easing the pressure on the environment. Upgrading the quality not only for cargo but also for passenger transport the Railway could be a gem for tourists combining visits to Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, Harar and Djibouti. The scenery the railway line passes through on its way from Addis Ababa to Djibouti includes passing gorges, rivers, deserts, volcanic landscapes and amazing scenery.
Though the rehablitation is long overdue the narrow-gauged line has limitations when it comes to cargo, while it maintains a historic tradition.