Travellers will now be able to book a night train on the Nairobi-Mombasa standard gauge railway (SGR) route from Saturday, January 9. This is after Kenya Railways revised its train schedule following the introduction of a night inter-county train service earlier this week to cater for increased demand by teachers and students returning to schools.

The rail firm obtained an exemption from the new dusk-to-dawn curfew extended to March 12 by President Uhuru Kenyatta allowing the train service to operate during the curfew hours.

In the new schedule, two express trains will operate in the afternoon and night, while the third Madaraka Express will be an inter-county one.

“We have introduced a night train as from 9th January 2021. This will be an Express service departing Nairobi and Mombasa at 10.00 pm to arrive at their destination at 3.35 am,” Kenya Railways said in a notice.

Passengers will be allowed to disembark from the stations during curfew hours to other destinations upon the proof of ticketing. The night trains will see the rail firm cash in on night-time travel after the curfew disrupted bus transport. A pair of the afternoon express trains will operate between the two cities with journeys commencing at 3pm and ending at 8pm.

Kenya Railways says the inter-county trains will operate during the day, leaving both the Nairobi and Mombasa termini at 8am stopping at all the stations along the route to arrive at 2pm.

The trains will offer normal commuter services with stoppages at Athi River, Emali, Kibwezi, Mtito Andei, Voi, Miasenyi and Mariakani. The SGR trains had been operating between the two cities with journeys commencing at 8am and 3pm.