These are the new changes to expect when you board Madaraka Express after Kenya's general election
The most worrying apart from ticketing challenges which is a nightmare, by the way, has been the plain casual manner in which the train tickets were designed and handed out.
Since its launch on 31st May, Kenya Railways has experienced a tonne of teething problems ranging from overbooking, middlemen fiascoes to ticketing challenges on its now popular Madaraka Express.
However the most worrying apart from ticketing challenges has been the plain casual manner in which the train tickets were designed and handed out.
The current Madaraka Ticket is just a plain piece of paper with scant information and a bar code for scanning; apart from that commuter details are nonexistent.
Kenya Railways has now moved to solve that aspect of the ticketing system, hoping to put minds of commuters at ease.
Madaraka Express train tickets will from Wednesday next week display the name and identity card number of passengers.
In cases of foreigners, their passport number will be available on the ticket
The move by Kenya Railways is aimed at eliminating middlemen from the ticketing business ,whose modus operandi has been to purchase train tickets in large quantities and creating artificial shortages.
Secondly, the new ticketing system is meant to put at ease the minds of Kenyans and security personnel who since the launch have expressed fear about the poor security infrastructure incorporated in the system..
“We have now customised the system and effective 8th August, tickets will bear the name and identity card or passport details of the passengers and will not be transferable. This will enhance the requisite security of all passengers and curtail the irregular sale of tickets by middlemen,” said Kenya Railways managing director Atanas Maina.
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