Nairobi Commuter Rail

[John Ashworth]

NAIROBI COMMUTER RAIL

Railways Africa On August 15, 2011 In Kenya

COMMUTER RAIL FOR 3 KENYAN CITIES

Kenya Railways has announced plans to develop commuter rail services in Kenya’s three cities – Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu. The Nairobi development is being implemented while that in Mombasa and Kisumu is at concept stage. Phase one of the Nairobi system will cover 100km, providing modern commuter rail services between Nairobi’s main station and Ruiru, Embakasi Village, Jomo Kenyatta Airport and Kikuyu. This phase will cost Sh16 billion, according to managing director Nduva Muli.

Phase two will extend the services to Thika, Lukenya and Limuru while phase three will provide services on new rlines to be built to Ngong, Kiserian and Ongata Rongai to the south, Kiambu to the north and Ruai to the north-east of Nairobi. “The project is aimed at providing fast, reliable, safe and affordable commuter rail services within the Nairobi metropolitan area,” Muli explained to a team of government officials during a site tour of Syokimau station, currently under construction. “The whole project is due to be completed by the end of 2014.”

[John Ashworth]

Two videos of Nairobi's commuter rail:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbN3bc16yEE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVA13rh0A4E