Ride the Eastern Star

Down at the inland edge of town is the Harambe Railway Station, serviced by Eastern Star Railways. It's an older station, dating to Harambe's colonial period, but there's also evidence of the station having been expanded in more recent years with thatched-roof structures at either end.

Step inside, and you'll discover there are many different destinations which can be reached from here, including Nairobi and Khartoum. The next train due into the station, however, is the Wildlife Express route bound for Conservation Station.

Of course, for anyone hoping to go to Bwanga Station today, Eastern Star Railways regrets to announce an interruption of service there due to an erosion of the tracks. While the Republic of East Africa is a contemporary state with many modern conveniences, the entire country is not fully developed or easily accessible. It sounds like it could take a while for this situation to be corrected.

Wherever you're headed today, just stop by the Booking Office and purchase a ticket. If the windows are closed, they're probably just on a break. Check back later.

Of course, this is not to imply that there is a lack of service at the Harambe Station. On the contrary, Harambeens pride themselves on providing excellent service to their guests and passengers, no gratuity necessary. Just pass them your baggage, and they'll be happy to load it atop the rail cars when the next train pulls in.

All aboard? Then we're off to Conservation Station. What's that? You're worried about the condition of the train? Fear not. These engines have serviced people across Africa (almost completely) reliably for more than 100 years! Besides, if the engine breaks down, the operator has a bike strapped to the front which he can ride to the nearest town for assistance.

In all honesty, the trains here at Disney's Animal Kingdom are not genuine antiques like their cousins in use at the Magic Kingdom. These were custom built for the park in the late-'90s. The design, though, definitely takes its inspiration from the sort of train engines built in Europe in the 1800s and transported for use on the African continent in the early part of the 20th century. Many of those trains are still in use in Africa today, only slightly the worse for wear.