Kenyans planning to travel to Mombasa this festive season might be forced to seek alternative means of transport after the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) management announced that all premium class passenger trains are fully booked until February 2026.
In a press briefing on Thursday, October 13, SGR Managing Director Philip Mainga said that the overwhelming number of people seeking to travel to the coast through SGR will force the management to seek additional coaches, especially in the premium class.
Furthermore, Mainga said that management will consider introducing special trains to transport travellers to the coast this festive season, similar to the one that has transported Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) members to Mombasa to celebrate their 20th anniversary.
"The demand for this premium class is high, so we are now going to order more coaches and equipment to ensure that everyone is accommodated. And for your information, we are booked until February," Mainga said.
"We are fully booked for Christmas; we do not have any seats, but we are willing to run special trains and ensure that Kenyans go to Mombasa and enjoy themselves and come back," he added.
It is not the first time the SGR will be forced to make such an adjustment to facilitate travel between Nairobi and Mombasa during the holiday season.
Last year, the Kenya Railways announced the introduction of a special SGR train that operated during the 2024 holiday season along the Nairobi-Mombasa Route.
The service train, which took about six hours to travel from Nairobi to Mombasa, was operating a one-way route between the two cities, according to a statement released by the authority on Monday, December 16, 2024.
“We are pleased to inform you that a special Madaraka Express passenger train will be operating on December 17, 2024, from Nairobi to Mombasa only,” the notice read.
The announcement comes days after motorists and other road users were encouraged to ensure that they observe all road signs as the country heads to the festive season, to guarantee road safety.
The festive season, which historically involves increased activities and social gatherings, contributes to increased travel and incidents.
According to the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), motorists who are caught contravening these signs shall be apprehended by security officers, and legal action shall be taken against them.
The authority said that engineers from the authority will launch a crackdown on contractors who fail to install road signage at road construction sites.
