City commuter train service gets a new face

Commuters ride in a train after the official opening of Syokimau Railway Station by the President on Tuesday. [Photo: Mbugua Kibera/Standard]

By John Oyuke

The familiar sight of passengers dangling dangerously from overloaded trains in Nairobi might soon be history after Kenya Railways launched a modern commuter service.

Coming after the commissioning of the eight-lane Thika superhighway, the service already has some Kenyans dreaming of seeing an underground railway system, known as ‘the tube’ in the United Kingdom and ‘subway’ in America, built within their lifetimes.

President Kibaki took the first ride on the new rail service, albeit in a custom-built presidential coach more luxurious than what ordinary passengers will enjoy, and which was quickly detached from the other coaches once the train reached the city.

The coaches have been redone to allow for 70 seated and 120 standing passengers.

Kenya Railways is banking on the service, modeled after those in the developed world, to win back middle class customers seen as key to its transformation.

This is the first phase of the Sh24 billion Nairobi Commuter Rail Transport project, and begins with the brand new custom-built Syokimau Railway Station officially opened on Tuesday by President Kibaki.

As the first serious attempt towards decent and affordable commuter rail transport in over 50 years, Kenyans living in and around Syokimau can now avoid the tiring and expensive 90-minute journey by road to Nairobi’s central business district.

Instead, they will drive to the new Sh400 million station, buy tickets electronically and board trains to the city centre and back. Kenya Railways says the journey to the city will take just 30 minutes. 

For those without vehicles, Kenya Railways is in the process of partnering with selected matatu operators to ferry them to the station, which also has secure parking for private vehicles and restaurants.

It is also a milestone for Kenya Railways as it is the first station it has built from scratch in 80 years.

The project is part of the Nairobi Urban Transport master plan that envisions a complete transformation of public transport by road and rail to ease traffic congestion in Nairobi, one of the fastest-growing African cities with a population of over three million.

Shopping outlets

President Kibaki was among the first commuters to board the train expected to serve thousands of passengers from Mlolongo, Athi River, Kitengela, Kajiado, Machakos and Syokimau travelling in and out of Nairobi daily.

The Head of State said the project would decongest the city roads and its environs and uplift the economic welfare of those working and living within and around Nairobi.

“This project will have a positive impact on traffic management by reducing congestion, transit time and travel costs to Kenyans,” he said in his written speech.

It will be connected to the main Nairobi-Mombasa railway through a 2.2 kilometre branch line built by Kenya Railways. Opening of the station marks the completion of the first phase of the Sh24 billion Nairobi Commuter Rail Network that is geared at easing traffic congestion in Nairobi, blamed for huge economic losses.

The station, the first one to be built by Kenya Railways since the Butere Station in 1932, includes a car park that can accommodate up to 2,500 cars.

Up to 10,000 passengers are expected to use the trains with five scheduled trips from Syokimau and the city and another four back between 5.30am and 8pm daily.

On weekends, there will be only one trip to the city and back between 9am and 1.30pm.

The station has an automated ticketing system to enhance efficiency besides other facilities such as wireless Internet and shopping outlets.

President Kibaki stressed the need for a well maintained and structured modern integrated transport system throughout the country to ease perennial traffic gridlocks on Kenyan roads, reduce motor accidents and to minimise the wear and tear on highways.

He cited the recently launched Thika superhighway as an example of the Government’s efforts to improve the welfare of Kenyans through better, faster, reliable and efficient movement of goods and people.

This phase of the Nairobi Commuter Rail Transport project will see stations similar to Syokimau built in Makadara and Imara Daima in Nairobi. At the Nairobi Central Station, passengers have a dedicated platform similar to the Syokimau Railway Station.

Also in the pipeline is a 6.5km long railway line from the heavily populated Embakasi suburb of the city to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Once complete, Kenya Railways will replicate the same in Mombasa and Kisumu. Design work for this is already underway, said the President. Kenya also signed a bilateral agreement with Uganda and Ethiopia for the development.