NAIROBI, Kenya July 8 – Train services between Nairobi and Mombasa will resume operations on Monday, under strict coronavirus protocols.
Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia the Standard Gauge Railway commonly known as Madaraka Express will operate on a 50 per cent capacity, with an extra coach for isolation.
To facilitate the smooth resumption of the services, Macharia said the Kenya Railway Services will be providing ten coaches to ferry close to 600 passengers during the one-way trip.
“We must always stay alert while the COVID-19 pandemic persists. We must continue to control the virus and save lives because if we all play our part we shall defeat the virus and revive the economy and boost the economic fortunes of the country,” he said.
The first SGR train is scheduled to depart Nairobi at 8am on Monday and arrive at the Coast at 12.45pm.
“This issue is now about all of us working together and taking ownership jointly,” he said, on the war against coronavirus whose infections had hit over 8,000 on Wednesday.
He said the government will provide a new commuter service that will link the Nairobi SGR terminus in Syokimau to Nairobi Central Business District.
“This service shall run from Nairobi CBD to SGR terminus at 6:35 am in the morning,” he said.
The resumption of the service follows a decision by President Uhuru Kenyatta Monday to lift the travel ban imposed three months ago to and out of Nairobi, Mombassa and Mandera due to soaring COVID-19 cases.