Data reveals how SGR passenger volumes have been declining in 2024

The Kenya Railways Corporation has experienced a notable decrease in Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) passenger volumes for the first half of 2024.

This comes on the back of a 50% fare increase introduced at the beginning of the year, driven by higher operational costs largely attributed to fuel price hikes.

Passenger Volumes Down

Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics shows that between January and June 2024, the SGR carried 1,128,782 passengers, a significant drop compared to the 1,249,805 passengers transported over the same period in 2023.

This represents a 9.68% decrease in passenger volume. The reduction aligns with the fare adjustments, which increased the cost of an economy ticket between Nairobi and Mombasa from Sh1,000 to Sh1,500 and first-class tickets from Sh3,000 to Sh4,500.

Passengers in the Standard Gauge Railway Passengers in the Standard Gauge Railway Pulse Live Kenya

Revenue Increase

Despite the dip in passenger numbers, SGR revenues soared during the first half of 2024. Total revenue for the period amounted to Sh1,766,997,580, a 27.19% increase from Sh1,389,275,803 collected in the same period in 2023.

This revenue surge highlights the impact of the fare hikes implemented on January 1, 2024.

On a per-passenger basis, the average revenue in 2024 was Sh1,565.73, up from Sh1,111.09 in 2023, indicating a 40.91% increase in the cost borne by passengers.

READ: Features of SGR's new premium coaches whose tickets cost Sh20K & Sh12K

Month	Passenger Volume 2023	Passenger Volume 2024	Revenue 2023 (Sh)	Revenue 2024 (Sh)
January	247,011	231,784	261,959,811	312,443,190
February	163,016	167,897	185,441,748	270,396,355
March	187,479	183,654	212,753,724	297,978,910
April	239,685	196,875	251,425,841	299,907,810
May	214,050	176,950	234,581,352	279,275,780
June	198,564	171,622	243,113,327	306,995,535
Total	1,249,805	1,128,782	1,389,275,803	1,766,997,580

Freight Volumes and Revenue

The freight sector, too, saw a drop in volume but experienced a revenue boost.

In the first half of 2024, 3,046,632 tonnes of cargo were moved, a significant drop from the 6,533,027 tonnes transported during the same period in 2023.

However, despite the 53.38% drop in tonnage, the total revenue from freight services jumped to Sh6,704,644,243 in 2024, compared to Sh14,684,563,147 in 2023, reflecting the overall trends in the SGR operations.