Nairobi, KENYA: Kenya Railways is set to increase Standard Gauge Railways ticket prices starting April 2018 in a bid to improve services offered and also meet the operating costs of the rail service.
According to Kenya Railways Managing Director Atanas Maina, speaking during an interview in Nairobi on Friday, the new fare will take effect after more consultations have been made.
” Initially we had worked with figures about sh. 1,200 we are still consulting to see what we can charge for that economy class.” Said Mr. Maina.
At the moment passengers pay sh.700 for the economy class and sh.3000 for first class when traveling to and from Nairobi.
The Sh3,000 fare for the first class passenger on the train will however remain the same in the new fare regime.
Atanasi says they have been told by most customers that the fare is too cheap.
“We have had even customers complaining this is too cheap we need to make it sustainable so that we can give out a service that is consistent throughout and for a longer term.” Added Atanasi.
He adds that Kenya Railways plans to introduce more coaches that can even allow a family to have a whole coach to themselves.
The SGR famously known as Madaraka Express was launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta last year in May, where he fixed the fare at Sh700 for an economy class ticket and Sh3,000 on the first-class ticket for passengers traveling from Nairobi to Mombasa and vice versa.
READ ALSO: SGR increases advance booking days as cargo train makes maiden trip
This was a reduction from the initial Sh900 which had been announced earlier by Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia.
The Madaraka Express has cut the journey between Nairobi and Mombasa to five hours from 13 hours.
