SGR Launches Ksh12K Per Seat Coach as Kenyans Keep Off

The Kenya Railways Corporation on Wednesday, October 3, kicked off a luxury coach for passengers using the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to and from Mombasa. The launch was overseen by Transport CS Davis Chirchir. 

The luxury coach was initially unveiled in August, with the Kenya Railways noting that the train was targeted at VVIPs. A one way ticket to or from Mombasa costs Ksh12,000 while a return ticket is going for Ksh20,000. Children between ages 3 and 11 pay Ksh6,000 per one way trip. 

The luxury coach has 28 seats and comes with a number of premium services - mirroring the business class experience offered by airlines. The services include a full breakfast and lunch for day time travelers and a premium dinner experience for night travelers. Refreshments and entertainment is provided through the trip. 

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A spotcheck by Money254.co.ke, however, showed a slow uptake of the luxurious train service which is now operating on one coach out of the four coaches unveiled earlier in August.

The premium class coaches have faced 0 out of a possible 28 booking the trains compared to economy and first class class coaches  which have more demand, showing that Kenyans prefer economy trains compared to the Premium trains.

For instance, on Thursday, October 3, the Premium trains had 0% occupancy compared to 49% occupancy of the economy class trains. First class booking on the same day had 100% occupancy showing that first class seats are in higher demand.

The government had earlier admitted the high cost of the train service, which is almost double what some airlines charge for an air ticket from Nairobi to Mombasa and vice versa. The government, however, defended the service noting that there was a high demand by middle class passengers who are keen on the experience as opposed to getting to Mombasa fast.

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"It's costly, yes, but look at the services provided. The entertainment, spacious adjustable seats, and fine dining services are top-notch—there's value for money. There has also been a demand for VIP First Class coaches. Last year, we registered a staggering 2.5 million passengers,”Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Maingi noted.

During the launch of the premium coaches that happened on Wednesday, October 2nd, the corporation said that passenger experience will be much better and will offer convenience.

“We revitalize, modernize and transform the passenger experience to exceptional standards in efficiency, comfort, luxury, safety, security, convenience and much more. Welcome on board,” the corporation said.

This comes after some upgrades were made in the economy trains where the Kenya Railways said that it had factored in feedback received from passengers over the years in order to ensure that customers get better services.

“We factored in our customers’ feedback to further improve our services and customer experience. Among the considerations are seats and toilets designed for our differently abled customers. The signage also includes a Braille version for ease of use by customers,” Maingi added.