According to the most recent Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) data, Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) income increased by Ksh. 220 million between January and March 2024, despite a major decline in passenger traffic.
According to the 2024 Leading Economic Indicators Report, passenger revenue increased from Ksh.660 million in the first three months of 2023 to Ksh.880 million during the same time in 2024.
The rise coincides with new SGR passenger tariffs that took effect on January 1, 2024.
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According to the pricing revision, customers flying from Nairobi to Mombasa pay an additional Ksh.500 for economy class, while those flying first class now pay Ksh.4,500, up from Ksh.3,000.
Kenya Railways cited an increase in fuel prices as the reason for the evaluation.
Notably, the number of passengers using the SGR train fell by 65,833 during the same period, demonstrating how the increased tariffs impacted the bulk of customers who must deal with high living costs.
In February 2024, photographs of empty SGR trains circulated on social media, illustrating a gloomy economy as people chose to leave the train as a mode of transportation. On the other hand, Kenya Railways denied the images and promised Kenyans that service operations would continue as usual.
The SGR train can transport 1,260 passengers and has a 70-tonne baggage carriage.
According to the study, the number of passengers who traveled in February 2024 decreased from 192,376 in January to 158,652. The figure, however, rose to 180,645 in March 2024.
In 2023, an anticipated 227,352 people rode on the SGR monthly, with February having the lowest statistics at 163,016. The peak months were reported in December (304,605), January (247,011), and April (239,685).
In sum, SGR received Ksh2.9 billion in passenger revenue in 2023 and has already collected Ksh.880 million in 2024.
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