President William Ruto on Tuesday commissioned the Mombasa Commuter Rail Service, a project expected to ease congestion and cut travel time and costs between the city’s central business district and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) terminus in Miritini.
The service, which will operate on a 13.8-kilometre rehabilitated metre-gauge railway and a 2.8-kilometre new link to the SGR, is projected to move up to 4,000 passengers daily.
The commuter trains will stop at Miritini, Changamwe West, Changamwe East, Shimanzi, and Mombasa CBD, offering first- and last-mile connectivity for travellers using the Madaraka Express.
“This link matters because it provides the much-needed first and last mile connection for commuters, visitors and tourists,” said President Ruto. “It will ease pressure on roads, improve safety and make the Madaraka Express more accessible.”
The Head of State noted that the project will help reduce road accidents, cut emissions and lower road maintenance costs by shifting more passengers from road to rail.
Kenya Railways said the service will also support tourism and trade in the coastal city by improving transport efficiency.
The Mombasa Commuter Rail is part of the government’s broader plan to expand the country’s rail network, including connections from Naivasha to Malaba through Kisumu and across the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) corridor.
