Transport Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen, directed the Kenya Railways management to increase trains to Kisumu County to enable Kenyans to travel for the festivities.
While inspecting the Standard Guage Railway (SGR) on Thursday, December 15, Murkomen noted that demand for the trains had gone up given that most buses were fully booked.
Further, he announced that the directive would also apply until the early week of January as Kenyans from Western Kenya get back to the city.
“I have instructed Kenya Railways to increase the number of trains to Kisumu from December 21, 2022, to January 3, 2023.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen inspecting SGR projects on December 15, 2022.
Kipchumba Murkomen
“This is to meet the increasing demand occasioned by the festive season and ease pressure on our roads,” he announced.
Additionally, Murkomen announced that there were plans to add more trains on various routes as the government invests more in the railway sector.
“We will also be working to restore passenger trains along the old Metre Gauge Railway routes.
“Further, we will be increasing the number of wagons and coaches, which, together with the old wagons and coaches that are currently being revamped at our Nairobi workshops,” the CS revealed.
Murkomen’s directive came after reports emerged that majority of the bus companies had totally sold out their tickets from December 20 to January 1.
Additionally, many had lamented over the increase in fares despite the reduction in fuel prices.
A majority of the bus services plying the Western Kenya route were charging from Ksh1,400 to Ksh2,500.
Kenya Railways, on the other hand, maintained the Ksh600 charges from Nairobi to Kisumu with children paying half the price.
Long distance buses at Nairobi’s Machakos Country Bus Station in a photo dated November 2017
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