Kenya’s SGR train service operator adds more passenger cars as demand rises

Afristar, the operator of the Chinese-built Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Kenya, announced Tuesday that it will add more cars to the SGR passenger service to cater to increasing demand.

The cars that will serve both economy and first-class passengers will be added on the trains that shuttle between the national capital of Nairobi and the port city of Mombasa from April 19 to May 9, Afristar said in a notice.

“We are happy to announce that we will be adding more coaches from April 19-May 9 to accommodate the increased number of passengers using the Nairobi-Mombasa SGR trains during the closing and opening of schools,” said the firm.

Demand for the passenger train service has been on the rise since it was launched in 2017. During the recent Easter holiday, for instance, the trains were fully booked as Kenyans sought convenience, fast and affordable travel.

Passenger traffic surged 20.1 percent in 2022, with the trains ferrying 2.39 million people during the period, up from 1.99 million in 2021, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.