Pros and Cons of Using the Lagos Blue Rail Line

In a bid to address the age-long traffic situation in Lagos State that makes it challenging for Lagosians to easily move to and fro within the city, the Lagos State Government, through the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) launched the six rail systems.

These rail systems are named after primary colours–Blue Line, Green Line, Purple Line, Red Line, Yellow Line, and Orange Line. To help navigate their movement, these six rainlines have various routes within the city.

As such, as a Lagosian, knowing their various routes will enable you to know which of them is going in your direction.

The rail system launch is only a week old, and the Blue Line (route: from Mile 2 to Marina with stopovers at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Alaba, and Mile 2)  is already active and functional within its route in the city. While many Lagosians have actively started boarding this rail line, it’s important to know the highs and lows of using the Blue Line rail system that travels through the Ojo area of Lagos.

Highs of Using the Blue Line Rail System

Some of the high points of using the Blue Line rail system include:

1. It’s Very Comfortable

Compared to the Lagos Danfo buses, the comfort in the Blue Line rail system is described by users as “top-notch.” The interior areas of the train are equipped with comfortable seats, televisions, and a cooling system that’s currently functional. Given the comfortability of the train, Lagosians going through their various destinations get to enjoy some comfort and ease, unlike the bustle of entering a Danfo Bus.

2. It’s Very Fast

Remember, all rail system have their various destinations. It means that if you’re using the Blue Line rail system, your destination is within the Ojo area of Lagos, Festac, Amuwo-Odofin, and Mile 2. Given that, the train gets you to your destination within 15 minutes of taking off.

3. Pleasurable Ride

The days of struggling inside public buses are almost over for Lagosians, as the Blue Line train has been described as pleasurable. Since passengers will be getting to their destinations by train, they get to take advantage of pleasurable views like the Apongbon end of the Third Mainland Bridge, the Lagos Lagoon, and the National Theater in Iganmu. Sights that can only be spotted while travelling in a plane.

Lows of Using the Blue Line Rail System

While the highs of using the Blue Line rail system are already enough to convince any Lagosian to start using the rail system, it’s important to get the full picture before undertaking that adventure. 

Here are some of the lows you’ll realize through using the Blue Line rail system.

1. Overcrowded Carriage

The major low point of the Blue Line rail system is that it’s already overcrowded by Lagosians trying to take advantage of the 50% slash in state-controlled means of transportation. As such, for a trip that would cost N700, many Lagosians are eager to take advantage of the price slash and get to their destination for only N350. As such, the crowd boarding the train abounds.

2. Far from Bus Stops

Although commuters will enjoy the chance of getting to their destination within 15 minutes of the train take-off. The challenge lies in the amount of distance commuters will have to trek to get to the nearest bus stop after alighting from the train.

For instance, the location of the Marina Terminal of the Lagos Blue Line is about 20 20-minute walk to the CMS bus stop. Speaking to a publication, a Lagosian named Tochukwu said: “It’s more stressful when you have just closed from work and you are so tired. Sometimes, I take a commercial bus home depending on how tired I am. The Terminal is a little bit a distance from CMS. Walking down that distance can be discouraging sometimes. In the morning, if you have got company, it’s easier, but in the evening, walking there alone without company from Marina can be tiring.”

3. Lack of Bus Stops in Some Areas

Another issue with the Blue Line is that it only has bus stops in strategic locations. This publication noted that passengers going through the Leventis or Apongbon area of Lagos should not bother using the Blue Line as it doesn’t have bus stops in these areas yet. The train’s first stop is the National Theatre while the last stop is the Marina Terminal.

Conclusion

The introduction of the six rail systems in Lagos has been long coming, and its eventual arrival is a plus to transportation in the city and will help many Lagosians curb some element of the blow from the subsidy removal. However, it’s not without its low, that Lagosians should be aware of.