Have Kenyans Dumped SGR Over Increased Fares? Kenya Railways Responds

The Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) has dismissed rumours of a decline in passenger traffic on the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) train evidenced by a photo of an empty coach of one of the trains which sparked rumours on social media.

The photo gained traction online and prompted many users to insinuate that travellers were resorting to staying away from the SGR following the recent increase in fares.

The fares which officially took effect last month saw Kenyans pay Ksh4,500, up from an average of Ksh3,000 for a full trip from Nairobi to Mombasa in the first-class category and Ksh1,500, up from Ksh1,000 in economy on the same trip.

Photo collage of the SGR Madaraka Express train at Kibwezi station, Makueni County and an empty coach. /NAIROBI NEWS.FACEBOOK

The photo which went viral sparked concerns online with Kenyans as per the current norm, blaming President William Ruto's administration for the high cost of living.

"This is an SGR coach departing Mombasa yesterday at 10:00 pm. The coach is empty since the fares hike to Ksh4,500 from Jan 1, 2024. Someone explain to me how this bottom-up economic model is working. The future doesn't look very bright."

"Both first class and economy are empty. No travellers in sight."

"SGR was my favourite transport vessel when I was studying at the Technical University of Mombasa. We used to pay Ksh1,000. Even VVIP was never Ksh4,500. The economy is indeed on the verge of collapsing," read some comments online.

However, Kenya Railways in a statement on Friday, February 2 denounced the photo doing rounds, clarifying that the SGR was operating as normal.

“Kenya Railways has taken note of a picture doing its rounds on social media, of an empty coach indicating a lack of passengers. We wish to state that this picture is in no way a representation of the actual status of the Madaraka Express Service and bookings for travel are going on as normal.

“We remain committed to serving our customers and will do all we can to ensure that rail continues to remain their preferred mode of transport, via the Madaraka Express Service,” Kenya Railways stated.

The SGR which was built at a cost of more than Ksh350 billion, rose sharply in popularity in its early days among Kenyans seeking alternative- and safe- ways of travelling between Nairobi and Mombasa cities, on a friendly budget.

To be specific, air transport is expensive with fares tending to cross above Ksh10,000 for a one-way flight and road, even though some Kenyans enjoy it for the scenery, makes one spend thousands for a full tank of fuel for the nearly 9-hour journey and the risk of road accidents along the major road.

Kenya Railways, in hiking the SGR charges in November 2023 ahead of the January 2024 review period, explained that "This increase is informed by changes in the energy and petroleum sector where prices of fuel have significantly increased thus affecting the cost of our operations."

Other than the Madaraka Express Passenger and Commuter services, rail transport services such as the Nairobi Commuter Rail Service, Kisumu Safari Train and Nanyuki Safari Train were affected by the upward price review.

Earlier in 2023, Kenya Railways scrapped the cash payment method for passengers to purchase their tickets beginning February 1.