The Kenya Railways Corporation posted mixed results in 2024, with freight volumes increasing and passenger numbers plummeting, according to the 2025 Economic Survey released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).

The Metre Gauge Railway (MGR) moved more cargo, up from 1,001,000 to 1,029,000 tonnes, but freight revenue fell by 4.0 per cent to Sh1.92 billion.

Meanwhile, the passenger segment saw a steep decline.

“Passenger transport via MGR declined by 26.9 per cent from 3,454,000 in 2023 to 2,524,000 thousand in 2024,” while “passenger revenue declined by 19.4 per cent from Sh201 million in 2023 to Sh162 million in 2024.”

KNBS attributed the fall in passengers to severe flash floods and route suspensions.

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“Passenger transport to Limuru was suspended in May and June 2024, while service to Kisumu on the same line was suspended indefinitely,” the report stated.

The Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) experienced a marginal drop in freight volumes from 6,553,000 to 6,531,000 tonnes, leading to a 4.8 per cent dip in revenue to Sh13.97 billion.

SGR passenger numbers also fell by 10.3 per cent from 2,729,000 in 2023 to 2,447,000 in 2024.

Yet, earnings from passengers jumped by 39.4 per cent from Sh2,940 million in 2023 to Sh4,099 million in 2024 after a 50 per cent fare increase in January.

The 2025 KNBS report underscores both the resilience and vulnerabilities in Kenya’s rail transport system, with freight showing strength even as passenger services struggle with infrastructure and weather-related challenges.