DESIGNA MAGAZINE DESIGNA ISSUE III 2019 2 | Page 45

Madaraka Express
Now provides a more
affordable and convenient
transport for Kenyans
Ever imagined Coastal Counties being so far yet so near? Well.
This is what the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) has done; the
Kenyan Coast is now just about 4 hours away from Kenya's
Capital, Nairobi, which is close to 485 Kilometers apart. This is
unlike in the past when commuters could spend a whole day or a
whole night (about 10 hours) traveling in passenger buses to have a
feel of the sun and sand at the Coastal beaches.
The launch of the service by Kenya Railways Corporation about 7
months ago has given many Kenyans a sigh of relief. Madaraka
Express has endeavored to lower the cost of transport and make it
more affordable for Kenyans to travel for both business and
leisure to and from the two cities. Since its launch in June this year,
the service has moved over 337,000 passengers between the port
city of Mombasa and Nairobi, with the number growing daily,
according to statistics from Kenya Railways. The SGR idea was
conceived in 2009 to cope with transport demands brought about
by East Africa Region's fast growing economies.
Two trips per day
And even more good news is the recent launch of another
passenger train service from both termini on November 1. SGR
now makes two trips from either side daily, with the Inter- County
train that makes stop-overs in all the 7 intermediate stations
departing from Nairobi and Mombasa termini at 8.00am; while the
afternoon train that departs from either sides at 3.30pm will be an
express train service.
The fare is equally cheap. For instance,bus fare from Voi to
Mombasa is Sh300 but one will only use Sh210 by train. Similarly,
the entire journey from Mombasa to Nairobi and vice versa only
costs sh700 in the economy class, compared to over sh1200 when
using bus services. The train ferries 1,200 passengers one way at a
go, which is a capacity of like 20 buses.
Nairobi commuter train
The SGR development was in addition to the Nairobi commuter
train which started its operations way back in 1992 as a result of a
series of Matatu strikes which crippled commuter services in the
city. The train which ran as an adjunct to the long distance freight
and passenger service, was originally operated by Kenya Railways but
was from 2006 taken over by Rift Valley Railways.
The train service makes daily trips from Nairobi Railway Station to
Embakasi Village (12.6 km), Kikuyu (31 km), Kahawa (24 km), and
Ruiru (32km), with one trip each way per day, ferrying over 11,000
passengers daily on all routes. Kenya Railways is currently
rehabilitating some commuter stations as well as coaches and
locomotives to revamp this service. Plans are also underway to
expand to other un-served areas in Nairobi to make transport
affordable to Nairobi residents.
Real deal
SGR is indeed the real deal. Its success story has put Kenya in a
strategic position in rail infrastructure and is now used as a
benchmark for other nations in the region and beyond and as a
facilitator of trade. It is a starting point to Kenya's affordable and
efficient transport system that positions the country as the hub and
transport gateway in East Africa. It is estimated that over $100 Billion
is being invested in rail projects in the region, which in essence will
facilitate trade, promote regional economic integration and boost
interconnectivity between African countries.
The development of Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia- Transport
(LAPSSET) Corridor Project being spearheaded by Kenya to boost
regional infrastructure is another gain for rail industry. It was
conceived to decongest the Northern corridor and open up
landlocked countries like South Sudan, Uganda and the republic of
Congo for ease of trade.
The LAPSSET Railway masterplan comprises of Lamu-Garissa-
Isiolo rail coverage of about 530Km, Southern Sudan Section that
covers Isiolo- Nginyang-Nakodok that is about 720km, the Ethiopia
Section that goes through Isiolo-Moyale at a distance of about
460km, as well as Nairobi – Isiolo route.
The government is also planning to upgrade the diesel-powered SGR
trains to electric in the next three to four years. This will also have
great positive impact on the service, and to the Kenyan people.
Courtesy Brand Kenya News
May
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June 2019 | D E S I G N A