Kenya Railways Resumes SGR Passenger Train

Passengers travel to Mombasa using a Madaraka Express train at the Nairobi terminus in Syokimau.
Passengers travel to Mombasa using a Madaraka Express train at the Nairobi terminus in Syokimau.
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Kenya Railways has announced the resumption of the Madaraka express train service operations between Mombasa and Nairobi station on Monday, May 3.

According to a statement released on Sunday, May 2, the corporation announced that the online booking platform was opened to the public for the purchase of tickets. 

KR affirmed that it had waived the rescheduling fee for travellers whose bookings were cancelled due to the lockdown announced on March 26. 

Transport CS James Macharia (second left) sanitises his hands while preparing to board a train on Monday, December 7, 2020.
Transport CS James Macharia (second left) sanitises his hands while preparing to board a train on Monday, December 7, 2020.
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"For unutilized tickets due to the just concluded Cessation of Movement Order, customers are advised to reschedule for travel at a preferred date," read part of the statement by KR.

The schedule remains unchanged with the Inter-county train departing at 8:00 am, the express train departing at 3:00 pm, and the night train departing at 10:00 pm.

The corporation urged customers to visit the nearest Madaraka Express Passenger Service station 48 hours prior to the intended date and time of travel and reschedule to ensure availability of seats. 

Initially, the Madaraka express train service had been halted in a bid to adhere to the travel restrictions imposed by the government in five counties marked as disease zones. 

Other services had also been affected with the Passenger train Service between Nairobi Terminus and Suswa only operating during the weekends.

Commuter trains plying the Nairobi Terminus to Ngong station route had been readjusted to ensure that passengers alight at the station at 7 pm in order to beat the 8 pm deadline curfew. 

The corporation noted that the train services would resume normal operations after the government eased the restrictions.

The news comes a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta lifted the cessation of movement in the Counties of Nairobi, Machakos, Kajiado, Kiambu and Nakuru during the Labour day celebrations.

He also revised the curfew hours from 8 pm to 4 am to 10 pm to 4 am. He noted that the new directives were due to the flattening of the Covid-19 positivity curve in the past month.

President Uhuru Kenyatta on May 1, 2021.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on May 1, 2021.
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