Kenya Railways, through the Nairobi Commuter Rail Service, has commissioned operations for the new railway link from the city centre to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) that will cost passengers Sh500 for a 20-minute ride.
Transport secretary James Macharia, while commissioning the new link on Monday, said air travellers would now avoid the traffic snarl-up on Mombasa Road. The service will see passengers dropped at the Embakasi Railway Station from where a bus will pick them up and ferry them to the JKIA.
“Commuters will be able to catch a train from the Nairobi Railway Station up to the Embakasi Village Railway Station after which they will then be ferried through the Airport South Road, which has been dedicated to the Nairobi Commuter Rail Bus also referred to as the Bus Rapid Transit Vehicles,” said Mr Macharia.
State officials reckon that Sh500 train ride is cheaper and faster than taxi services. The trains will operate throughout the day.
“We are happy to launch this new service that will enhance faster travel time for passengers heading into and outside the country,” Kenya Railways managing director Philip Mainga told the Business Daily yesterday.
The launch of the JKIA Express Service follows the commissioning last month of the new Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) by President Uhuru Kenyatta, who assured that the rail track will be extended to the airport.
He assured the rail track would be extended to JKIA to provide air travellers with an alternative mode of transport to and from JKIA to avoid the traffic mess synonymous with Mombasa Road.
Source: Business Daily Newspaper.
