NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 17- Kenya Airways has partnered with Kenya Railways to facilitate the movement of passengers from the city center to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
Most passengers risked missing their flights due to the heavy traffic jam on Mombasa Road, particularly during morning and evening rush hour.
Under the partnership launched Thursday, Kenya Railways will dedicate trains and buses to transport passengers booked on the national carrier.
The train departs from the Nairobi Central Station to Embakasi train station where passengers board dedicated busses for onward transportation to the airport under a strict schedule.
“We encourage Kenya Railways and Kenya Airways to work together and to come up with more innovations to better the lives of Kenyans,” said Chris Obure, a Chief Administrative Secretary at the Ministry of Transport who presided over the launch on the bus service.
Obure said the move will accelerate the growth of the country’s economy.
“The government will continue supporting Kenya Airways which plays its strategic role in facilitating trade and movement of services in the region within the country and the world,” he said.
The express service train starts at 5:45 am, 11:00 am and 8:00 pm at the cost of Sh250 for first 90 days.
Kenya Railways Corporation Managing Director Philip Mainga said the new train will be using a newly constructed 7.8 kilometers to Embakasi Railway Station, from where passengers will board a connecting bus through the South Airport road to the airport.
Maingi said Kenya Railways was seeking to expand its services across the country, to ensure convenience and economic viability.
Kenya Airways Chief Financial Officer Hellen Mwariri said the move will offer additional convenience by reducing the connection time.
“This will ease movement in and out of JKIA. It goes a long way in supporting a delightful customer experience, throughout the customer journey right from the train station to our checking counters and eventually to our inside services,” she said.
The Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) Express Service, which operates on a separate schedule from the recently launched regular commuter service targets both the airport workers and customers traveling to and from the airport.
