Urban rail returns to the centre When the Addis Ababa Light Rail opened in September 2015, it marked a turning point for urban mobility in the city. As the first modern light rail system in sub-Saharan Africa , it cut directly through some of Addis’s most congested corridors. Early demand was strong. In January 2016 , average daily ridership was reported at around 113,500 passengers , with peak days reaching over 150,000. At that moment, the system clearly tapped into a real need for high-capacity urban transport. A system under pressure The Light Rail was delivered quickly and at scale, with…