The Fianarantsoa- côte est railway, running between Madagscar's highland city of Fianrantsoa (also known as Fianar) and the east coast port of Manakra provides the visitors with a unique view of the people, the economy and the environment of this facinating region. If you are travelling all the way from Fianarantsoa to the cost (this is the most common route taken by outside visitors) you will dro
p from an altitude of 1100 meters in the regional capital of Fianarantsoa to sea level in Manakara and pass through some of Madagascar’s most beautiful scenery. The Fianarantsoa region is both vast and diverse and your journey will take you on a transect through multiple agro-ecological zones, as well as the territories of several different ethnic groups. One reason the rail line is so vitally important to this region is that for 90 km there are no other way of transportation. The only road serving the central part of the rail system is the north-south RIP 4, which crosses the tracks at Tolongoina on its way south to Ikongo. This road is best left to 4-wheel drive vehicles, and even they frequently encounter serious problems during the rainy season. There are about 100 000 people who live in the area that depend entirely on the train for transportation services. The train is a vital link bringing goods in and out of the region, getting sick people to hospital, purveying news and information.
