After a 13-year hiatus, National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) has reintroduced its urban commuter train service to Bulawayo, popularly known as the "Freedom Train".
Many commuters are first-time users of the train service following a 150% fuel price increase last month.
A commuter train ride from the township into the city, available five days a week, costs 50c. Kombi taxis charge an average of $2 and buses $1 for the same trip.
Tafadzwa Goliati, president of the Passengers Association of Zimbabwe, said: "We applaud the NRZ for the reintroduction of the Freedom Train, but we also urge them to modernise its rail infrastructure."
NRZ spokesperson Nyasha Maravanyika said that due to high demand for the commuter train service, the railway parastatal had increased the number of coaches servicing routes.
The route from Cowdray Park in Bulawayo to the city centre was in such demand that NRZ had increased the number of coaches from 13 to 18.
"We would like to introduce the urban commuter train services in other cities, but NRZ is facing challenges of limited resources," said Maravanyika.
"We need $10m to refurbish over 50 coaches. We can't buy new equipment. The only way we can [get] new equipment is through the recapitalisation project.
"So our coaches are old, but we try to ensure they are at least habitable for passengers."
The railway giant also runs a weekly passenger service between the country's major cities and towns. Here, too, the cheaper fares are a major attraction for commuters.
An economy train ride between Harare and Bulawayo costs $8, while the first-class fare is $10. In contrast, a bus trip between the two cities costs $90.
Peter Shoko, who regularly uses the train to travel between Harare and Bulawayo, said while the costs were affordable, the train did not always run on schedule.
"But I continue to use it. It's affordable and they accept mobile money transfer, unlike other transport services who only want cash," said Shoko.
Brian Shuro, who recently used the train for the first time between Harare and Hwange, said he had turned to using the train after the sharp increase in the cost of road transport.
"The train is not pleasant; the journey is long and slow and Harare to Bulawayo will take you at least 18 hours," he said.
"The toilets are dirty with no running water, but I have no choice, the train is my only option as I can't afford the transport costs by road."
Another commuter, Ngoni Gatsi, said high transport costs had driven him to use the train.
"It's a long, tiring journey between Harare and Mutare - 10 hours in the train. But it costs me $6 compared to $20 on public transport.
"I wish the NRZ would have electric locomotives to make the trains faster," said Gatsi.
On the back of increased demand for its services, which include freight services, the NRZ estimates revenue of $125m this year, a 31.6% increase from the $95m earned last year.
But an NRZ source said the passenger train was not economically viable. It was, said the source, a government-initiated public service programme.
Agrippa Ngwenya, a supermarket till operator, said of her daily commute in Bulawayo: "The train takes two hours to get to town. I board it at 6am in Cowdray Park and it makes at least six stops in other suburbs.
"During the first days it was fun but it's not every day that you have time to chit-chat with strangers for a long time in a poorly air-conditioned old train."
She said there had been fears that the fare was to be doubled to $1. "That's the same amount charged by the buses. So ask yourself, why you would go through a torrid time waking up early to catch a train that charges the same as a bus?"
On Friday, Maravanyika said there had been no increase.
"We wanted to increase it to a $1, but the community on the Cowdray Park to city centre railway line pleaded with us not to. So it remained at 50c," he said.
In Bulawayo, the train services half of the high-density areas on the northwestern side of town, travelling through suburbs such as Cowdray Park, Emakhandeni, Entumbane and Mzilikazi.
The areas to the southwest, such as Nkulumane, Nketa, Tshabalala and Emganwini, do not have the service.
"We have never seen a train this side. Some of us walk to work but if it was there we would board because we are located nearer to the industrial areas than those from areas such as Emakhandeni," said commuter Rukudzo Nyoni. - Additional reporting by James Thompson..