Information
Landmark: Gabès Train Station (Gare de Gabès)City: Gabes
Country: Tunisia
Continent: Africa
Gabès Train Station (Gare de Gabès), Gabes, Tunisia, Africa
Overview
Gabès Train Station, the southern end of Tunisia’s main railway line, bustles with travelers and the scent of warm dust, serving as the key gateway for the entire southeastern region.It links Gabès with central and northern Tunisia, running as part of the national rail network operated by the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Tunisiens (SNCFT), where steel wheels hum over sun‑baked tracks.It may be small, but it’s a vital lifeline, connecting distant southern towns with bustling hubs like Sfax, Sousse, and Tunis, where markets buzz and ships crowd the docks.Let’s dive into a close look at the station-its importance, how it’s built, the way it runs, and even the streets and sounds that surround it: 1.The train station sits right in the heart of Gabès, just off Rue Mongi Slim, a short stroll from the bustling central souk, nearby taxi stands, and the municipal offices where the scent of fresh mint tea often drifts from open doorways.It rests at the southern tip of the Sfax–Gabès railway, part of Tunisia’s narrow metre-gauge network-a relic from the colonial era, where steel tracks still gleam under the midday sun.Shops and apartment buildings line the streets, with bus stops just a short walk away, louage taxis idling at the corner, and pedestrian zones close enough to hear the chatter of passersby.Number two stood out, etched in thick black ink on the page.The station building is a low, colonial-style structure built in the early 1900s, its white walls still catching the afternoon sun.The building features a central hall with tall arched windows and patterned tile trim, a shaded front entrance where passengers often linger, and a covered platform for boarding or stepping off trains.Inside, you’ll find ticket counters that take cash or cards, a modest waiting room with wooden benches, basic toilets that usually require a small fee, and snack kiosks offering tea, sandwiches, and bottled water.There are sometimes phone charging spots and a newsstand, but no baggage lockers, and while security is light, plainclothes officers occasionally patrol the area.Three.At Gabès station, trains carry both people and cargo, from commuters heading to work to freight cars loaded with goods.Gabès marks the end of the passenger line from Tunis, a route that winds through Bir Bou Regba, Sousse, Mahdia or Kalaa Kébira, then Sfax, El Jem, Mahrès, Gremda, before finally reaching the coast.The trip takes between six and a half and seven and a half hours, depending on stops and train type.Most trains are second-class, though a few have first-class compartments; coaches are air‑conditioned, but older ones can feel stuffy.Expect two to four trains a day in each direction, with schedules shifting seasonally, and some carrying postal bags or small freight.At night or during quiet hours, the station handles phosphate from Gafsa via Sfax, along with chemicals and fertilizers from the Gabès industrial zone.Gabès serves as Tunisia’s southernmost passenger rail terminal, a key stop where the tracks end and the air smells faintly of the nearby sea.South of Gabès, trains stop running, and travelers have to rely on buses or squeeze into shared taxis that rattle down dusty roads.It’s a vital connection between the rural South and the industrial North, carrying university students with heavy backpacks, public sector workers, and merchants on their daily routes.During holidays and harvest time, when seats fill fast and prices climb, the train comes in cheaper than buses or private cars.Number five stood out, like a bright red mark on a white page.The station still keeps its old-world feel, but plans for change are on the table.For years, officials have discussed extending the railway to Médenine, Tataouine, and Ben Gardane-pushing tracks deeper into southern Tunisia, almost to the dusty edge of the Libyan border.These extensions could strengthen economic ties, open the door to more tourism, and make it easier to reach remote areas where the air smells of pine.Plans call for upgrading the tracks between Sfax and Gabès, cutting travel time and making the ride safer, even when the wind whips dust across the rails.Number six.Useful as it is, the Gabès Train Station struggles with aging platforms and worn-out trains, sparse schedules-no overnight express and hardly any weekend runs-slow trips from constant stops and rough tracks, and no links at all to Libya or Algeria.Pedestrians can reach the station easily, but wheelchair users face obstacles-narrow ramps and steep edges in the platform layout make access difficult.You’ll find louage stations close by, ready to take you to Matmata, Medenine, Mareth, and other towns scattered across the south.Locals often meet around the station, especially on holidays or bustling market days, where the smell of fresh bread drifts from nearby stalls.The Gabès Train Station marks the end of the rail line in Tunisia’s southeast, handling both passengers and cargo in an area where infrastructure is scarce and the air smells faintly of diesel.It may be modest and a bit outdated by global standards, but for thousands in southern Tunisia it’s a lifeline-dusty trucks rumble through daily-and it serves as a crucial springboard for pushing further into the deep south.It’ll stay relevant only if it gets fresh investment-modern upgrades, greener practices, and a push past Gabès toward the dusty roads that lead to the Libyan border.
