Kenya Railways to build direct rail from Miritini to Mombasa town to ease pain of commuters

Anyone who has travelled to Mombasa using the Standard Gauge Railways knows too well the pain and struggle that awaits one once they alight at Miritini terminus.

Mombasa-bound passengers have to spend up to five hours to cover the 22 kilometre distance to Mombasa town because there is no connection line to Mombasa town, forcing them to finish their journey by road and spend extra money.

While those travelling from Mombasa to Nairobi on the 8:00AM inter-county train or heading to Moi International Airport and Jomvu have to wake up in ungodly hours in order to beat the mad traffic caused by trucks carrying cargo from Mombasa port and not miss their train or flights.

These inconveniences however may soon be a thing of the past.

Kenya Railways Corporation has announced plans to build a 2-kilometre Standard Gauge Railway line linking the SGR Miritini passenger train terminus to the Central Mombasa train station in a move aimed at facilitating smooth transition of passenges between the two locations.

“The line will provide services for people leaving Syokimau train terminus to Mombasa and those coming from Mombasa to Nairobi by train via the Miritini terminus,” said Kenya Railway managing director Atanas Maina.

Speaking in Nairobi on Thursday, Mr Maina said feasibility studies to ascertain the actual cost of the project are ongoing and will take one month.

Once a feasibility study is done, the project will start as soon as funds are available, according to Mr. Maina.

Works on the high speed line, he said, will take about 12 months to complete.

“The feasibility studies and preliminary designs will help in defining the various issues relevant in determining whether the project is worthwhile or not. China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), China Railway Design Corporation and APEC Consortium Limited are doing the studies.”