Commuters were left in shock on Monday after Kenya Railways on Monday launched a new rail line linking Central Railway station in Nairobi CBD with Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). 

Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Maingi said passengers who will use the Nairobi Commuter Rail Service JKIA Express will pay a fare of Sh500 per train ride.

Commissioning the new service, Transport CS James Macharia the new service will help passengers going to and from JKIA to avoid the infamous Mombasa road traffic jam.


Read More

  1. Government is eyeing five Adani-type PPP deals in the current financial year
  2. MPs propose aviation overhaul, call for nationalisation of Kenya Airways
  3. 6 key global success stories Adani Group is banking on for its PPP forays in Kenya

James Macharia alighting from the JKIA express DMU train. PHOTO/KR 

Macharia said in the new rail service passengers will be dropped at the Embakasi Village Railway Station and picked by a courtesy bus to be dropped JKIA to take their flights.

“Commuters will be able to catch a train from the Nairobi Railway Station up to the Embakasi Village Railway Station after which they will then be ferried through the Airport South Road which has been dedicated to the Nairobi Commuter Rail Bus also referred to as the Bus Rapid Transit Vehicles,” Macharia said.

He has assured passengers planning to use the service of adequate security.

“Connecting the airport to CBD means the security must be intact. We inspected the stations to make sure the system is compliant with the highest level of security,” he added.

The Nairobi Commuter Rail Service between CBD and JKIA will be on the new Diesel Multiple Units (DMU) in a project being implemented in collaboration with the Kenya Airport Authority (KAA).

The JKIA Express Service launch comes after President Uhuru Kenyatta commissioned the DMUs last month.