SGR Announces System Failure Affecting Mombasa Train

The Mombasa Terminus of the Standard Gauge Railway.
The Mombasa Terminus of the Standard Gauge Railway.
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Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) has announced system failure on Thursday, August 5, affecting online booking services for the Madaraka Express plying the Nairobi-Mombasa route.

The matter was brought to the attention of KRC after travellers attempted to secure bookings for as late as 3 weeks later but in vain.

In a statement, the corporation disclosed that it was experiencing a system failure and advised travellers to book their tickets by visiting its physical offices.

The statement further indicated that a technical team had been deployed to help rectify the situation.

Hand holding a Madaraka Express ticket from Nairobi to Mombasa.
Hand holding a Madaraka Express ticket from Nairobi to Mombasa.
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"We are experiencing a system failure. Our teams are working to restore it to normalcy. In the meantime, purchase tickets over the counter at the nearest Madaraka Express Terminus.

"Thank you for choosing Madaraka Express as your preferred mode of travel," read the statement.

A number of passengers had reported that they were unable to secure tickets ahead of the weekend which are the busiest travel days on the service.

A passenger who sought to travel to Kibwezi on Saturday, August 7, disclosed that upon application, they received an error message stating, 'We could not find a train for Nairobi Terminus to Kibwezi.'

"Is there something wrong with your site or are tickets really unavailable even three weeks from now? I have tried several dates even three weeks from now and it just says no trains available?" Lamented one of the travellers.

The complaints began trickling in as early as 9:30 a.m. and by the time of publishing this story, the matter was not resolved.

The project, which cost Ksh360 billion, was aimed at reducing the time travelled by Kenyans between Nairobi and Mombasa to four hours from more than eight hours by bus.

Since its completion in May 2017, however, the project has been racking up losses attributed to low uptake as well as Covid-19 pandemic effects on the economy.

President Uhuru Kenyatta flags off SGR Phase 2A at the Nairobi Terminus on Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta flags off SGR Phase 2A at the Nairobi Terminus on Wednesday, October 16, 2019
PSCU