Dennis Great 
MY Train Experience And The Review At Mobolaji Johnson Train Station To Ibadan Station Moniya.
Traveling on a train from Lagos to Ibadan was my first experience using a train. I remember sometime last year when I planned traveling to ibadan by train but it didn’t work out because I was very late. But this time around I have to move very early to catch up with the train on time. I never have anything to do at ibadan rather than just to explore the inside train to and fro.
From oyinbo, you take a bus going to alapomeji bus stop, not more than 5 min. When you drop at the bus stop, you turn left and walk down straight. When you get to the end of the street, you turn down right, there, you will see the almighty Mobolaji Johnson Train station.
Mobolaji Train station is so beautiful and well designed. The atmosphere is welcoming and it has a very big space for a car park or any other activities. All security and workers are well trained for rendering services to the customer’s. Generally, the staff are well trained.
Inside Mobolaji Johnson Train station, they have a lift and staircase elevator for easy movement.
PRICE
We have three(3) classes of coaches.
Executive Class / First Class. The price is 6k naira.
Business Class. The price is 4k Naira.
Standard class / Economic Class is 2600 naira.
TIME
The train moved 2(two times) in a day. The train operates from Monday to Sunday but there is a time difference. From Sunday to Friday, the train moves in the morning by 8:00 a.m and evening by 4:00 p.m except only Saturday’s which move in the morning by 8:30 a.m and evening 6:00 p.m.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
When the train moves from Lagos state(L) to ibadan state(I) in the morning, it’s called LI1 But once it’s coming from ibadan (I) to Lagos (L), it’s called IL 2. In the evening, if the train moves from Lagos to ibadan is called LI 3 and from Ibadan to Lagos state is IL 4.
There are two different trains that operate from Lagos to ibadan and ibadan to Lagos. They both have different names which are the MTT (Meaning of MTT is Mass Train Transit) and DMU (Meaning of DMU is Disel Mobile Unit. The MTT has 9 coaches and each coach can be detached or separated while DMU has 8 coaches but can not be detached or separated. The MTT is Manuel Control and The DMU is automatic control.
The DMU is faster than MTT. Both trains ought to run for 150km/hr which approximately can make them reach their destination in 1hr but currently, the train track is under construction so they reduced it to 70 km/hr which makes the train reach each destination for 2hr 45 minutes including the stop over.
The sitting capacity of MTT is 664 while that of DMU is 588 sitting capacity. Actually I enter MTT to and fro so therefore I will be able to review MTT.
MTT has 9 coaches which can be detached and each has a different seating arrangement. Inside MTT, we have One(1) first class with 24 seating capacity in a coach, 2(two) business class with 56 seating capacity in two coaches, lastly, 6(six) economic classes with 88 seating capacity in 6 coaches.
The Executive Class/ First Class seating arrangement is superb with a lot of space. The chairs can spin 360° where a family of four or friends can turn to each other for discussions and the chair is covered with a light wine.
The Business class has their own seating arrangement. There is a self table apartment and reading centre and you can equally adjust the seating of the strength to any position you want.
The economic/ Standard Class seating arrangement is normal with two tables.
Each coach has two(2) compacted air conditioners each, in total 18 air conditioners, 4(four) television screens in each coach, In total 36 television screens, 2 toilets in each coach, in total 18 toilets. There are provisions for luggages below 25kg and an upright rack for hanging your bags closer to yourself. What is common among each coach is the charging point which we know as sockets and USB spot to charge your phones.
The train has two(2) locomotive engines. One for up i.e it operates when going and the other is down i.e it operates when returning. The train also has different departments which are the medical department, security department, Civil defence, man no war and safety department.
Once the train takes off from Ebute Meta station (Mobolaji Johnson) it passes another train station under Lagos district to ibadan district.
The train Station under Lagos state district start from Ebute Meta station(EBJ) Mobolaji Johnson station> Agege station (GE) Babatunde Raji Fashola station > Agbado station (GD) Alhaji Lateef Jakande station> Kajoola Station (KA) Professor yemi Osinbajo station station.
The train station under ibadan district start from Papa Latno station(PA) Chief olufunmilayo Ransom kuti > Abeokuta station (AD) professor wole Soyinka station > Olodo Station (OL) Otunba Gbenga Daniel station > Omiadio station (AD) Chief Ladoke Akintola > Ibadan Station (Moniya)(IB) Chief obafemi Awolowo station.
The name of the minister which were added to each station is just a way to compensate them for serving Nigeria.
Generally, I had a good trip to ibadan and back to Lagos state yesterday. I really enjoyed exploring inside the train.
I’m passionate about effecting change through travel writing.
bigtimeafrica@gmail.com
I’m Dennis Chukwuebuka Okeke AKA Onye-njem one of AFRICA your number one celebrity Tourist.
