Kenya Railways adds Nairobi-Kisumu trains on travel demand

Passengers disembark from the train that arrived from Nairobi at the Kisumu railway station, on December 17, 2021. PHOTO | AFP

Kenya Railways has added three more train services on the Nairobi-Kisumu line following a surge in demand as city residents travel to their rural homes for the festivities.

KR managing director Philip Mainga said the first train was added on Tuesday from Nairobi to Kisumu. Another extra train will run from Kisumu to Nairobi on Christmas day and the third extra one on January 2 to ferry hundreds of travellers back to the city.

The Nairobi-Kisumu passenger train service resumed on Friday after a 15-year break, offering great relief for people heading to western Kenya with its low-cost fares.

Read: Nairobi, Kisumu train resumes with Sh600 fare

“We have added an additional passenger train from Nairobi to Kisumu to cater for increased demand for travellers heading to western Kenya during this festive season,” Mr Mainga told the Business Daily on Tuesday.

“We are also planning to add another train from Kisumu to Nairobi on December 25 and on January 2, 2022.”

Commuters pay Sh600 fare on second class coaches from Nairobi to Kisumu and Sh2,000 on first class for the 12-hour journey. The train operates between 6 am and 6.45 pm, with a stopover in Nakuru.

Passengers travelling to Nakuru pay Sh300, and from Nakuru to Kisumu Sh400.

The ticket prices are a relief for travellers who pay between Sh1,200 and Sh1,600 on the route using bus services for a journey that takes an average of seven hours.

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