How I rode Mauritania’s Iron Ore Train across the Sahara Desert. 

Riding the Iron Ore Train in Mauritania is one of the most unique train journeys you can take in the world. It’s renowned as the longest, heaviest and most dangerous trains in the world.

Many travellers set out to ride on top of the iron ore train across the Sahara Desert aiming for the short ride from Zouerat to Choum. But I’ve got a full story that covers riding the iron ore train across Mauritania in both directions.  

It’s Gavin here – and I rode the iron ore train from Nouadhibou to Zouerat and back again from Zouerat to the port of Nouadhibou.

But first, here is the condensed version. And my tips for how to ride the iron ore train from Zouerat to Nouadhibou.

Here is everything I wanted to know beforehand about Mauritania’s iron ore train journey. 

About Mauritania’s iron ore train

Mauritania’s iron ore train snakes out across the desert along the border of Mauritania and Western Sahara.  It travels on a single track of 704 kilometres (437 miles).  

And with over 200 freight wagons weight up to 84 tons it is over 3km (1.8 miles) in length, making it the longest and heaviest train in the world. 

The train is operated by the national mining and industrial society (SNIM).  And its role is to take iron ore from the mines near the town of Zouerat and transport and deliver it to the port city of Nouadhibou. 

Riding the Iron Ore train 

Riding Mauritania’s iron ore train is on the scale of epic adventures that warrants an entire story on its own.  And so, that’s what I’ve done.  On our YouTube channel you can see the video. Or separately, I have written the story I want to share about the journey. 

Right now, though, if the train is something you are seriously considering.  Here is everything you wanted to know – and wanted to ask – about riding Mauritania’s iron ore train.   In any direction! 

Where does the iron ore train go?

The iron ore train travels from Zouerat – Choum – Nouadhibou. 

• Zouerat: This is starting point for the train.  Zouerat is the mining town where the iron ore mines are; some 700km from the coast of Mauritania. 
• Choum: A small settlement between Zouerat and Atar where the train (most trains) does a short stop to load and unload passengers and cargo. 
• Nouadhibou: Mauritania’s second largest city and the destination of the iron ore train.  The iron ore is unloaded from the train at the port of Nouadhibou. 

So, can you ride the train in both directions? 

Yes.  You can.   And this is what I did. 

But both directions offer an entirely different experience.

• Noudhibou to Zouerat: In this direction the wagons of the train are empty (there is no iron ore in the wagons). This means that you ride inside the empty wagon for the journey. 
• Zouerat to Nouadhibou: In this direction, the wagons are full and loaded with iron ore.  

It is also an option to ride the train from Zouerat to Choum; or you could ride the train from Choum to Nouadhibou if you don’t want to do such a long journey.  (More about this later; but the downside of riding from Choum to Nouadhibou is that you will need to climb onto the train in darkness and you will miss the famed Sahara sunset.  

Riding the train empty gives you a chance to meet locals and drink tea and patch together a conversation.  But empty is definitely harder.  The wind swirls around and the vibration of 200 empty wagons is indefinite.  On the other hand, you are not alone in the empty wagon.  And so, you get the chance to experience the journey with locals.  

For me, despite it being physically harder, the experience was even better than the travelling on top of the iron ore.  

How much does it cost to ride the iron ore train? 

Riding on the train on top of the iron ore wagons (or in the empty wagons) is completely free.  This is a means of transport for locals who work in the iron ore mines in Zouerat to get to and from work. 

There is also the option to ride inside the single passenger carriage.  There are limited spaces in the carriage (there is only one passenger carriage). 

A ticket for the passenger carriage in the iron ore train costs 6 EUR (current in 2023). 

So, what about the passenger carriage?

Each train – in either direction – has over 200 wagons for iron ore and 1 passenger carriage.  But let’s talk about the passenger carriage… 

It is a basic train carriage with a few wooden benches inside.  And I would estimate it has (officially) seats for 30.  But the number of tickets actually sold for the passenger carriage definitely does not equate to the number of spaces taken. 

When the train finally pulled into Nouadhibou station (empty; and heading towards Zouerat) just before 02:00am there was the kind of mad scramble that left my mate Xavier and I standing there in shock.  Everyone leapt up, grabbing coats and bags and wrapped packages and boxes, and started throwing them onto the train. We looked towards the passenger carriage, and it was just bulging at the seams. 

There were babies being lifted in by their legs and passed through the window.  Everyone was just scrambling to get on.  There were whistles blowing, women screaming, babies crying, and goats being loaded into wagons.  It was mad.  

Choosing to ride the empty wagon (and not the passenger carriage). 

My original plan was to ride the passenger carriage out (from Nouadhibou to Zouerat) and ride back on top of the iron ore (from Zouerat to Noudhibou). 

But standing there as I clutched my 6 EUR ticket there was no way I was going to take a local’s seat – or a lady and babies’ space – in that carriage. 

We had been talking to a couple of guys in the waiting room of the train station (during the 12-hour wait) and they were local miners heading out to Zouerat for work.  And as we stood there watching the chaos, they waved us over and nodded towards the wagon.  Without any shared language but Google translate on a phone they invited us to ride with them.  The screen read; ‘Come with us. The wind can be fatal’.  

And so, I climbed up and over the edge of the empty wagon.  There were already 10 guys in there spreading blankets over the floor and getting ready for the journey.  The moon was up; and this was it.  

The train lurched as the wagons began to pick up slack.  And we departed for Zouerat. 

Read the full story here.

How often – and at what time – does the iron ore train depart? 

The Iron Ore Train departs daily – every single day of the year, with absolutely no exception.

• There are two to three trains a day that come from Zouerat, but there is no official (known) timetable. The trains leave Zouerat when they are filled with ore; not when they are scheduled. 

Supposedly, departing from Zouerat, the train regularly leaves around midday.  However, my train departed closer to 2:00pm. 

In Noudhibou they told us the train always departs from Nouadhibou (in the other direction) at 2:00pm. 

My train departed Nouadhibou at 02:00h.  As in; 02:00AM. 

This is Mauritania.  And the train schedule is nothing like you know from home. 

But certainly, the train departs every day in each direction.  

Patience is a must. 

What is the best time of year for doing the Iron Ore train?

I rode the iron ore train in February. But there are pros and cons to riding the train in different seasons. 

• Winter: During the day the trip is a pleasant temperature but at night, temperatures drop severely.  You need to make sure you have enough warm clothes and a blanket. 
• Summer: The sun will be incredibly harsh during the day, but the nights will be warmer. 

What about food and drink on the train?

This is a complicated practice.  As soon as you board the train (actually, as soon as you arrive at the so-called-train-station at either end) you will (fast) start to become covered in iron ore dust.  Your hands will be filthy.  But that’s not the only challenge.  Trying to eat on a train moving at speed means you must combat wind as well.  

In the empty wagon the guys huddled under a blanket with a single-burner gas ring (and many attempts to light it) to make tea to share around.  But on top of the iron, you’re best to wait until the train stops and quickly eat something then.  (And whether or not you’re partial to the taste of iron ore it is going to taste like it!).  

We took nuts and biscuits from the small shop in Nouadhibou.  These were good to be able to offer and share around.  We only wish we had taken more.  

The locals are generous and offered us whatever they had.  

From Zouerat to Nouadhibou we brought pretty much same thing.  Biscuits and peanuts; and a tin of tuna (which was not a good idea).  Bring snacks that are easy to eat. 

Is it safe to ride the iron ore train in Maruitania?

Not really.

Hitching a ride of the iron ore train is often touted as one of the most dangerous journeys in the world. 

And the journey is one I know might not be an option once group tours and international tour groups start offering this as extreme tourism. (Only until someone gets hurt). 

But you can take steps to make it as safe for you personally as is reasonable.  (As tempting as it might be to get that perfect selfie; if you fall off, they aren’t stopping.). Wear warm clothes, take enough water for the journey, cover up your face and eyes and don’t balance on the edge of wagon unnecessarily. 

How long does the journey take?

Assuming everything goes smoothly with no breakdowns, and obviously not including the extraordinary wait-time you might experience before you depart. (Hello, 12 hours wait in Noudhibou train-station platform); timing for the train is fairly standard. 

• Zouerat to Choum: 4 hours
• Choum to Noudhibou: 14 – 15 hours
• Zouerat to Choum: 18 – 20 hours

Google maps gives the distance a time of less than 15 hours from Zouerat to Nouadhibou; but speaking from experience, it’s much longer than that. 

I left our hostel in Nouadhbiou at 1:00pm on the Day 1 and arrived back in Nouadhibou at the train station on Day 4(!) at 7:00am.  

You need time and patience.  Seriously.  And a lot of it. 

Remember that this is a working train transporting iron ore and workers from A to B.  That’s its main purpose.  It isn’t designed for tourism.  

Make sure you leave yourself at least a buffer of 48 hours either side of your train experience.  Whatever you do don’t book flights or transport to exit Mauritania within a short time of your expected arrival because things can (and will) change. 

What about toilets on the iron ore train?

Define toilet? 

But seriously, the answer is No.  

There are no toilets on the iron ore train.  

Well, there may be one inside the single passenger carriage (if that could be referenced under the definition of a toilet…).  But if you are riding inside the empty wagons or on top of the iron ore there is no toilet. 

The train does stop several times during the journey.

And this is your chance to leap off and do your business really (seriously, really) quickly before it lurches off again.  It isn’t as dramatic as some YouTubers make it look.  It’s a 3km long train and it takes a while to get going.  But it’s not something you want to mess with. They aren’t looking out for your wellbeing or toilet needs.   

If you are riding on top of the iron ore in the wagons, and you are a bloke – you are luckier than most. In this instance you will have the opportunity when the train stops (randomly, in the middle of nowhere/middle of the night) to wee off the side of the carriage.  Follow of the lead of locals (if you are lucky to be on board with others in the wagon).  Otherwise, this is the time to use your imitative.  

Be careful and do take it seriously.  

And remember that when the engine stops in a town or settlement; if you are 15 carriages back you aren’t anywhere near civilization.  Make the most of the opportunity if you need.  And do be careful. 

Where is the station in Noudhibou?

The train stops a few kilometers outside of Nouadhibou.  Albeit on arrival it sort of feels like somewhere in the middle of nowhere.  But there will be several taxis will be waiting for the passengers.  (And if you’re keen you can help unload and shepherd some of the sheep and goats from the wagons towards a waiting pick-up truck as we did).  

If you are departing from Nouadhibou to Zouerat on the iron ore train then you may (read: will be) spending quite a bit of time at the Nouadhibou train station. There is waiting room (an empty room with a few bench seats) and a basic toilet outside (I wouldn’t recommend it; seriously).

But believe it or not; this train station is more than what we saw in Zouerat.

Where is the station in Zouerat?

The word ‘station’ is a rather loose term to describe the point of departure in Zouerat.  

The train departs from the Zouerat mine but the supposed station is in the small settlement of Fderik, about 24km from Zouerat heading towards Choum. 

Getting to Zouerat or Choum from Atar or Noukchott

From Nouakchott you need to catch a bus or shared taxi to Atar.  

Atar is the capital of Adrar and a base for reaching Chinguetti or Ouadne (and Zouerat). 

From Atar you can catch a local bus or taxi to Zouerat.  The travel time is around four hours and the bus stops in Choum. 

Getting to the train station in Nouadhibou

The train station in Nouadhibou is a few kilometres out of town on the single main road.  It is easy to get a taxi to the train station. 

Arriving at the train station in Nouadhibou

There will be taxis waiting on your arrival in Nouadhibou and you can negotiate a fare to take you to your hotel in Nouadhibou.

What do you need? Packing list for the iron ore train.

• Cloth face mask (to prevent you from breathing dust)
• Headscarf (for sun and dust) to wrap up your face and head
• Ski goggles (or any type of glasses that cover your eyes well)
• Blanket (from local shop) 
• Warm clothes 
• Water (at least 3L or more)
• Food – easy stuff to eat that you don’t need to prepare or touch much)
• Plastic bags (to wrap up your stuff)
• Torch

*About the ski goggles; whoever first recommended these was a genius.  They are a great idea.  But let me tell you about the reality or wearing ski goggles on the iron ore train… 

You see, my friend and I rode the iron ore train from Nouadhibou to Zouerat AND back again. And he had kindly brought us two brand new ski goggles from Spain that would have been perfect.

But when you are sitting inside an empty wagon for 18 hours with 10 other local guys and their young sons – many of whom don’t even have a blanket; and one man without shoes – I sure as hell was not going to be the one to pull out my brand-new ski goggles from Europe.

Would you do it again?

I would do it again in a heartbeat. It was tough but I would absolutely do it again. In a heartbeat.

More useful links for your travels in Mauritania and beyond…

These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel. 

• Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation and it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally. 
• Hostelworld – The largest inventory of hostel accommodation in the world. 
• Skyscanner – This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.  
• GetYourGuide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world including everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
• World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home). 

Read more about Morocco and Mauritania

• Crossing the Morocco Mauritania border from Dakhla.
• Buying a SIM card in Morocco: And how to get unlimited data.
• A guide to campsites in Morocco.
• Morocco motorhome services: What are motorhome services really like?
• Taking your motorhome on the ferry from Spain to Morocco.
• Getting LPG in Morocco for your motorhome.