Kenya's SGR half-year passenger traffic grows 5.4 pct

Xinhua
27 Aug 2025, 19:45 GMT+10

NAIROBI, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The number of passengers ferried by Kenya's Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) rose 5.4 percent in the first half of 2025, reversing a decline recorded in 2024, the Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) said in a report released on Tuesday.

The KRC noted that the Chinese-built service shipped 1.18 million passengers during the period, a rise from 1.12 million a year earlier.

Despite a 50 percent increase in fare charges effective from Jan. 1, 2024, to offset higher fuel costs, passenger numbers rebounded with travelers returning to the SGR for its convenience, good service, and affordable charges compared to other transport modes.

Meanwhile, revenue generated from the passenger train in the six months stood at 15.9 million U.S. dollars, a rise from 14.3 million dollars in a similar period in 2024.

On the cargo side, the SGR hauled 3.71 million tonnes between Kenya's capital, Nairobi, and the port city of Mombasa in the six months, generating 68.3 million dollars in revenue, up from 3 million tonnes of cargo that raised 51.8 million dollars in a similar period in 2024, according to the report.

In October 2024, the operator upgraded its passenger service with premium class coaches to enhance customer experience.

Since launching operations in June 2017, the SGR has carried nearly 16 million passengers, according to KRC data. The service has reduced travel time between Nairobi and Mombasa from seven to five hours, boosting the flow of goods into Kenya's hinterland and neighboring countries like Uganda, while facilitating tourism activities.

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