Passengers who have been using the Standard Gauge Railway to travel from Nairobi to Mombasa and back are set to pay double the fare beginning April.
Currently, passengers are paying 700 shillings on the economy class while those in the First Class are paying 3,000 shillings.
Beginning April, according to the new directive, those on the economy class will start paying 1,200 shillings while those in the first class are set to pay an undisclosed amount.
Initially, the SGR management had set the fare at 900 shillings for the economy class one-way from Mombasa to Nairobi but was reversed to 700 shillings in a move that was set to promote the use of the train.
The management now says that the 700 shillings per passenger are not enough to meet the daily maintenance of the train and that the SGR might start operating at a loss given that the same amount collected is used to service the loan used to construct and acquire the trains.
The government hopes new fares will enable it to pay the China Exim Bank loan, which financed the first phase of SGR between Mombasa and Nairobi at a cost of 387 billion shillings.
As the operator reviews fares, it also intends to improve the consumer experience and boost amenities along the route according to a statement from the management.