Madaraka Express passenger service to resume operations on Monday

Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia on Wednesday announced that the Madaraka Express passenger service will resume on Monday, July 13.

This comes after President Uhuru Kenyatta halted the cessation of movement in and out of Nairobi Metropolitan Area, Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale counties.

The Kenya Railways have since released an operational schedule as they resume the passenger service.

Addressing the press, CS Macharia said the first train will depart Nairobi at 8 am on Monday and is expected to arrive at the Coast at 12.45 pm.

The train will then leave Mombasa for Nairobi at 1.25 pm and is expected back in the Capital at 6.40 pm to provide ample time for passengers to reach their destinations before the commencement of the curfew at 9 pm.

To maintain social and physical distancing on the train, the CS said Kenya Railways shall deploy 10 coaches for passengers with a total one-way capacity of 600 passengers which is 50 per cent capacity.

An additional coach will also be deployed to be used for isolation of passengers suspected to be infected with COVID-19 during the journey.

“The extra coach will leave empty and we hope it will arrive in Mombasa empty because it will be used for only one purpose; to carry any suspected case of COVID-19 detected during the journey between Nairobi and Mombasa and vice versa,” said CS Macharia.