The Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) has introduced night passenger train services for the Nairobi-Kisumu train. The announcement was made on Tuesday 7th, 2022. Following the refurbishment and repairs on the old Nairobi-Kisumu railway line which had halted operations for more than 15 years, the KRC relaunched the train route in December 2021. The Government of Kenya also added several new passenger trains. After the relaunch, KRC remarked that nearly 2000 commuters were using the service. The Nairobi-Kisumu train has popularly been dubbed the Kisumu Safari Train.
However, the train only travels during the day as it leaves Nairobi at 6 am (Another train leaves an hour later for the same destination) and arrives in Kisumu at 6:20 pm after making a stop at Nakuru at 11:30 am; a 12-hour journey. With the inauguration of the night train services commencing Friday, June 10th, the train will be leaving Nairobi at 6:30 pm and arriving in Kisumu at 6:30 pm; a 12-hour journey.
However, the night rides will only be available strictly on two days; Friday and Sunday. The charges for train rides on commuters remain the same, at Kshs. 600 for the economic class and Kshs. 2000 for the first-class ride. Night journeys are being introduced to improve income and reduce delays.
The Kenya Railways Corporation saw it best to introduce train rides to the Nyanza region after witnessing the steadily increasing number of passengers traveling to Kisumu. KRC’s managing director said in a past interview that the corporation in partnership with the Government of Kenya had spent millions on the rehabilitation of the Nairobi-Kisumu railway line. The process was aided by the Kenya Defence forces (KDF) and the National Youth Service (NYS), which saw the rebuild become effective and faster.
“We have spent Kshs. 500 Million to repair the Khwisero-Kitale line, another Kshs. 500 Million on the Kisumu-Butere line, Kshs. 1.1 Billion to rehabilitate the Gilgil-Nyahururu line and Kshs. 4.5 Billion to repair the Nairobi commuter train system which is currently ferrying 100,000 passengers per day to and from the city.”
said KRC Managing Director, Philip Mainga.
Kenya’s infrastructural transformation under President Uhuru Kenyatta (biznakenya.com)
Michael Disi, the regional manager for Kenya Railways in Kisumu affirmed the increased demand by passengers hence the need to purchase new trains.
“The seven locomotives that we have procured from China are complete. The purchase of locomotives has been necessitated by the demonstrated increase of passengers from the two regions who are willing to use the railway line,”
Disi stated.
The Kenya Railways also has plans to extend its services to Butere as this move will benefit passengers traveling to Mumias, Busia and Bungoma. Operations to Butere are expected to start later in June 2022.
The Kisumu Railway station has approximately 50,000 square feet of commercial space aimed at enhancing commuters’ experience and also promoting local businesses. The station was constructed after the government reclaimed the land from fishmongers and relocated the traders to the 17-acre Uhuru Business Park market.