A train attendant serves a passenger in the first commuter train
launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta on May 31, 2017. PHOTO | JEFF
ANGOTE | NMG
By SARA BAKATA
In Summary
The launch of the $3.25 billion standard gauge railway at
the Mombasa terminus on May 31 by President Uhuru Kenyatta marked the
realisation of an ambitious infrastructure development plan by the
government of Kenya to replace the 118-year-old Kenya-Uganda Railway.
When finally extended to Malaba — the border with Uganda — the
SGR is expected to change the way the region and its hinterland moves
cargo and people by offering a convenient, relatively faster and cheaper
option.
President Kenyatta flagged off the first passenger train at 11am
(0800 GMT) and rode it to Nairobi with about 1,300 other passengers,
among them Deputy President William Ruto, Chinese State Councillor Wang
Yong, government officials and business people. The ride was free.
The passenger train, launched on the eve of Madaraka Day — the
day Kenya attained internal self-rule — was aptly named Madaraka
Express.
Talking to the media onboard the train, the president termed the train “a true beginning of our transformation.”
Among the benefits he listed were ancillary activities expected to develop as a result of the line.
He also spoke of special economic zones to be set up along the
line in places such as Voi, Athi River and Naivasha. There are four main
stations between Mombasa and Nairobi — Mariakani, Voi, Mtito Andei and
Athi River.
The launch of the passenger train has been hailed as a historic
event since it is the first major project undertaken by the government
in 50 years.
Accessibility
For travellers eager to use the train, Kenya Railways, the local
component of the management, has yet to clarify how they will
conveniently access the termini both in Nairobi and Mombasa. In Nairobi,
the terminus is 15km from the central business district on the busy
Mombasa Road and next to the Syokimau Railway Station, the end point of
the metre gauge intracity commuter line.
Passengers hoping to use the SGR to Mombasa cannot yet use the
Nairobi commuter train to access the Nairobi SGR terminus, since KR has
yet to announce synchronised services between the intracity service and
the SGR.
The option for travellers is to incur an extra cost through
taking a public service vehicle or driving to the terminus, a minimum of
30 minutes with moderate traffic from the CBD.
It is worse in Mombasa, where the terminus is off the old
Nairobi Highway at Miritini, a 20-minute drive from the turn-off. The
access road is currently only done a few metres to the first security
check into the terminus. From the terminus to the CBD, it can take up to
two and a half hours, what with traffic.
Rates and hospitality
According to Kenya Railways, passengers can purchase train
tickets at the ticketing offices at the Nairobi and Mombasa termini.
Unless these can be made available online, which some buses do,
travellers both in Nairobi and Mombasa will have to risk and purchase
tickets on the day of travel.
The president announced a promotional one way economy class
ticket of Ksh700 ($7), threatening to eat into the passenger market of
buses, which charge between Ksh1,100 ($11) and Ksh2,800 ($28). Normal
train fare published by KR was Ksh900 ($9). First class tickets
(business) is Ksh3,000 ($30) one way.
While a bus carries a maximum of 42 passengers, 72 business
travellers on the train will share the carriage at full capacity, with
the option of using the sleeper carriage for naps.
Although in buses all seats can be reclined, on the train
passengers can stand and walk around the entire duration of the
five-hour journey.
Every traveller on business coach, unlike in the economy class,
will have the use of power port for charging their communication
devices.
The train has onboard hospitality service provided at the dining
carriage at your own convenience throughout the trip. This service is
yet to be provided as it still at the tendering stage.
The biggest convenience is the toilet facility. Every carriage has one unisex toilet.
Both the business and economy coaches have sufficient overhead
luggage carriers that can fit a small suitcase weighing 10 kilogrammes
(the type approved for onboard flights). Bags bigger than this will be
stored in the luggage coach.
No littering the SGR line
The one thing that the passenger train trumps buses is that all
cabins are air conditioned. The service crew duly informs passengers
that there is no opening of windows. Looked at from the environmental
point of view, the railway line will not be littered with plastic
bottles and other garbage as is the case on the Nairobi-Mombasa
Highway.
Earlier on May 30, President Uhuru accompanied by Chinese
officials flagged off the SGR cargo train at the new container terminal
at the port in Mombasa, where the new SGR line begins. The cargo train
was carrying 24 containers destined for Nairobi.
Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta flags off a cargo wagon during the
launch of standard gauge railway (SGR) operations at the port city of
Mombasa on May 30, 2017. CHARLES KIMANI | PSCU
Although the SGR terminates in Nairobi for now, the president in
his speech at the port thanked the Chinese government for extending
another loan of $3.6 billion in a deal signed during the president’s
recent visit to China — to extend the railway to Naivasha and Kisumu.
There are plans to finally connect with Uganda through Malaba at the
common border with Uganda.
The latter part of the SGR project will realise East African
Community partner states’ plan to modernise both the Northern and
Central corridors, and reduce the cost of doing business by making it
cheaper, faster and more convenient to move goods and people within the
community and beyond.
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