No More Grace for SGR Users as Fare Rises to 1000 Shillings

The rush for the use of the Standard Gauge Railway is set to reduce and people opt for buses after the increase of fare from 700 shillings to 1,000 shillings.

Kenya Railways has announced that it has increased the fare by 42 percent between Nairobi and Mombasa so as to meet the bill of the Chinese firm operating the rail.

“The fare has been reviewed upwards to help cover the cost of operation,” said the Transport and Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary, James Macharia.

During the launch of the railway, the government set the fare at 700 shillings from the 900 shillings intended earlier to help market the Madaraka Express. Fare from the rail has been used to foot the expenses of the firm operating the rail, China Communications Construction Company.

According to the Transport Secretary, the amount that has been being generated from the previous fare has not been enough to cover the costs.

Taxpayers have been topping up the gab to help in covering the costs though it is not yet clear whether the recent fare hiking will help shield the taxpayer.

Bus owners have welcomed the move to increase the SGR fare saying it will leverage the playing ground.

The bus sector had been greatly affected by the launch of SGR as passengers rushed to use the new train, rendering hundreds in the matatu sector jobless.