The Kenya Railways Corporation is set to launch its passenger service for the Nairobi-Nanyuki line on Friday, December 11.
The Corporation has released the schedule and fare for commuters plying the route that has for decades seen Public Service Transport (PSV) enjoy a monopoly.
The route is set to serve eight stations including Murang'a, Makuyu, Maragua, Sagana, Karatina, Kiganjo, Chaka and Naromoru.
Commuters travelling from Nairobi to Nanyuki will part with Ksh200 on second class coaches, Ksh50 and Ksh100 for inter terminus travel.
The Corporation is set to launch the operations on Fridays and Sundays initially with plans to increase the number of trips depending on demand.
The train will depart Nairobi on Friday at 8 a.m and is scheduled to arrive in Nanyuki at 2 p.m.
Commuters travelling back to the city will use the Sunday train that departs Nanyuki at 8 a.m and get to Nairobi 2 p.m.
Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Mainga revealed that the fares have been standardised as it targets farmers.
"We are launching passenger operations on the Nairobi-Nanyuki meter gauge line this coming Friday targeting people planning to visit the Central region for short vacations.
"We will be targeting smallholder farmers between these counties and this means that we have to keep the train fare low to accommodate more numbers," he explained.
The passenger train has a capacity of 1,600 and is almost Ksh400 cheaper compared to matatus that ply the route.
Cargo operations from the route started back in August on the rehabilitated 240-kilometre line that ferry goods such as fuel, fertilisers, hardware, cereals and other farm produce.
The line has been rehabilitated at a cost of Ksh3 Billion with the last time it was in operation was back in the late 1990s.
