Zimbabwe, Zambia back new Victoria Falls freight bridge to boost trade

Zimbabwe and Zambia have agreed to restrict heavy trucks and freight trains on the Victoria Falls Bridge, marking a policy shift aimed at easing pressure on one of Southern Africa’s busiest trade routes.

The move underscores growing strain on aging infrastructure along the North-South Corridor, a key regional logistics artery. 

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, speaking at an engineering conference in Livingstone, said the 121-year-old structure no longer meets the demands of modern freight transport.

He noted that the bridge was built for a different era, long before today’s high-volume cross-border trade flows. 

Completed in 1905, the Victoria Falls Bridge links the two countries by rail and road but now operates under strict weight and speed limits.

These constraints have slowed freight movement and increased transport costs as trade volumes across Southern Africa have grown.

Shift toward a new Batoka Gorge crossing 

Officials are now prioritizing a new road-and-rail bridge downstream in the Batoka Gorge.

The plan would separate tourism traffic on the historic bridge from commercial freight, similar to the approach used at the Kazungula Bridge, which has expanded regional cargo capacity since 2021. 

Engineers and policymakers say upgrading the existing structure would be costly and disruptive, with limited improvements in capacity.

Although the bridge has undergone periodic maintenance, including work in 2006, it continues to face operational limits that affect efficiency on a key trade route.

Trade bottlenecks on a key corridor 

Zimbabwe sees the Victoria Falls corridor as central to exports moving through Beitbridge toward Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly minerals and agricultural goods.

Current restrictions have added delays, pushing some traffic toward alternative regional crossings. 

For Zambia, maintaining a reliable rail connection is critical for regional integration.

The Victoria Falls Bridge remains the only rail link between the two countries, making continuity a priority for broader Southern African rail networks and future expansion plans.

Funding and regional outlook 

Financing remains the main hurdle. Zimbabwe’s external debt arrears limit access to concessional funding, while Zambia, further along in debt restructuring, is expected to play a leading role in structuring potential multilateral support, with Zimbabwe participating under phased arrangements. 

If implemented, the project would ease pressure on the North-South Corridor and improve freight efficiency across multiple economies, offering a more direct route for regional trade while preserving the historic bridge for light use and tourism.