Principal Secretary for Housing and Urban Development Charles Hinga on Thursday July 16, announced the Nairobi commuter trains are set to arrive into the country in August 2020.
The Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) being shipped from Mallorca, Spain, are set to greatly improve transport system in the county that has heavily relied on roads.
Kenya Railways acquired 11 refurbished DMUs, five coaches and spare parts from Spain at a negotiated price of Ksh1.15 billion.
Hinga took to social media to post photos of the train being put on transit from the Spanish city of Mallorca and also announced the expected date of arrival into the country.
"The DMUs are finally on the way. They are being loaded onto trucks in Mallorca enroute to Barcelona and from where they will be shipped to Mombasa on the 21st of July 2020 and arrive 25 days later," he wrote.
In a statement back in February, Kenya Railways revealed that the 11 Diesel Multiple Units (DMU) are still in good condition and will be fully functional for the next 20 to 25 years.
Phase One of the project will see the train ply Nairobi Central Station (NCS) to Ruiru route, NCS to Kikuyu, NCS to Athi River and NCS to Embakasi.
Nine new stations are expected to be constructed at Kenyatta University, Umoja, Kibera, Thogoto, Mbagathi Way, Thika, Kitengela, Dagorreti and Strathmore University.
A DMU is a multiple-unit train powered by on-board diesel engines meaning that they do not require any separate locomotive.
A Double Train Car Unit can ferry 300 passengers both seated and standing with a triple unit able to transport 450 passengers.
Residents as far as Lukenya, Thika, Limuru, Ngong Town and Kiambu Town are also set to benefit from the DMU once the project is complete.
