Kenya Railways resumes full operations on commuter trains

Kenya Railways has restored full operations on its Nairobi commuter rail service following the recent revision of curfew hours by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Mainga noted that the extended curfew hours had enabled the state corporation to revert to the pre-Covid schedule.

The Nairobi Commuter rail operates between the Nairobi Central Railway Station in the Central Business District and Ruiru, Kikuyu, Embakasi and Syokimau.

"We have simply reverted to the normal schedule which was serving our customers well,” said Mainga in a statement yesterday.

Mainga added that the corporation would still enforce the Covid-19 guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health in order to maintain safety of commuters.

He said they would ensure that every commuter walked through the sanitizing booth on the way to boarding the trains.

"We still encourage our customers to practice good hygiene as per the issued guidelines. Especially the social distancing rule while on the trains," he said.

Mainga, however, added that the Madaraka Express passenger service operations on the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) are yet to resume. "This will happen once the cessation of movement order is lifted by the national government,” he said.

Mainga further said that the link train, which operates between Nairobi Central Railway station and Nairobi Terminus, has thus not resumed service because its operations are pegged on the Madaraka Express operations.

The transport industry has been one of the most affected sectors by the restrictions on movement.