SGR passenger trains to be cheaper than buses, Transport CS Macharia says

It will cost you between Ksh500 and Ksh800 to travel from Nairobi to Mombasa (or Mombasa to Nairobi) when the new Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) trains begin operation on June 1, 2017.

According to Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia, the cost is aimed at encouraging passengers to use the services, with the promotion running for six months.

The fares are lower than those charged by buses which range from Ksh1,000 to Ksh1,800 depending on the type of bus, and seat placement.

“The cost will be half what the buses are currently charging. Various teams are working on the details,” James Macharia told Sunday Nation.

The train service will be launched on May 31, 2017 by President Uhuru Kenyatta who will then take a maiden ride before it begins official operation on June 1, 2017.

The passenger train will run at an average speed of 120km per hour, cutting the travel time between Nairobi and Mombasa to about five hours from the current nine taken by bus and 12 hours by locomotive trains.

After the expiry of the six month promotional period there will be an adjustment to meet the demand, leading to an increase in frequency, with the prices also changing accordingly.

 Currently, there are seven major station along the Nairobi-Mombasa route where inter-county SGR trains will stop.

The Standard Gauge Railway is being  constructed at the tune of Ksh360 billion.