Mombasa SGR passengers to change trains at Syokimau

Syokimau Railway Station. The commuter rail service between Syokimau and the CBD is operated by Rift Valley Railways (RVR) on behalf of Kenya Railways. PHOTO | FILE 

By SANDRA CHAO-BLASTO and KIARIE NJOROGE

In Summary

• The SGR passenger train will terminate at Syokimau in Machakos County where the contractor is building the main station.
• Each of the eight trains that will run on the SGR between Nairobi and Mombasa will have a capacity of 1,000 passengers.
• Passenger trains on SGR will run at 120 kilometres per hour, cutting by more than half the journey that currently takes 10 hours.

Passengers arriving from Mombasa on the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) train will alight at Syokimau and board the existing commuter train to central Nairobi, authorities said, setting travellers up for a last mile transfer that will complete the 500km journey.

Unlike the current railway line, which runs right into Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD), the SGR passenger train will terminate at Syokimau in Machakos County where the contractor is building the main station.

“Passengers will alight at the SGR platform, which is currently under construction. They will cross to the metre gauge rail platform and take another train to the city,” said Atanas Maina, the Kenya Railways managing director.

Passenger trains on SGR will run at 120 kilometres per hour, cutting by more than half the journey that currently takes 10 hours.

Buses take an average eight hours to complete the 480 kilometre journey – meaning those taking the train from Mombasa will arrive in Nairobi hours before the bus travellers.

The commuter rail service between Syokimau and the CBD is operated by Rift Valley Railways (RVR) on behalf of Kenya Railways. RVR is paid a commission of Sh5 million every three months for the service.

Mr Maina said Kenya Railways planned to refurbish two engines and coaches for use between Syokimau and the CBD in readiness for the increase in passenger numbers once the SGR line starts operating mid next year.

Each of the eight trains that will run on the SGR between Nairobi and Mombasa will have a capacity of 1,000 passengers.

That is in turn expected to increase passenger numbers, prompting Kenya Railways to increase the number of commuter rail trips to the city centre. RVR currently operates two trips in the morning and two in the evening on the Syokimau line.

The Sh427 billion SGR is expected to be completed by June 2017 and could prove a big competitor for buses, which are the main mode of passenger transport between Nairobi and Mombasa.

It is expected that the lesser travel time and reduced accident risk will draw more passengers to the train from buses.

Kenya Railways is yet to reveal how much it will charge for the train trip. Bus fares range from Sh1,000 to Sh2000 while it costs a minimum Sh2,950 to fly one way to the coastal city.

Passengers will be able to board and alight along the way in seven intermediate stations. These are Mariakani, Miasenyi, Voi, Mtito Andei, Kibwezi, Emali and Athi River.

Kenya Railways on Monday announced that about 50 kilometres of the SGR track has been laid and 60 per cent of civil works- which includes building bridges and earthworks - are complete, putting the Jubilee government on a firm path to completing the entire 450 kilometre line by June next year.