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24 January 2017
New passenger train service between Nairobi and Mombasa to take just 4 1/2 hours
Kenya will become the first country in Africa to receive brand new long-distance passenger trains in February of this year. The five passenger locomotives are part of the 56 locomotives expected in the country prior to the launch of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in June 2017, the other engines intended to pull freight trains.
The modern diesel-powered locomotives can run at a top speed of nearly 160 kilometres per hour shortening the travel time from the present nearly 14 hours to just 4 1/2 hours per journey. Kenya Railways will receive forty passenger coaches which will have varying capacities with the Economy Class accommodating 118 passengers in each coach and 72 passengers in the First-Class coaches.
The main passenger trains between the capital Nairobi and the port city of Mombasa will only have one stop enroute at Mtito Andei, a town marking the half way point of the route and gateway to both Tsavo West and Tsavo East National Parks. There have been suggestions however to also operate trains that stop at other waypoints, like Voi, about 100 miles from Mombasa, from where in particular tourists can start their safari into Tsavo East and into the Taita Hills Game Reserve.
Source: eturbo news