The Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) has pulled in Sh2.068 billion from passenger tickets in the first half of 2025, a sharp turnaround that reflects both recovering demand and the weight of last year’s fare revisions.
Figures show that the Madaraka Express carried 1.18 million travellers between January and June.
The tally not only surpassed the 1.12 million recorded in the same window last year, but also helped push revenues 11.65 per cent higher than the Sh1.85 billion booked over that period in 2024.
The shift comes barely a year after fares on the Nairobi–Mombasa route were raised.
Travellers in first class saw prices climb from Sh3,000 to Sh4,500, while those in economy began paying Sh1,500 instead of Sh1,000.
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Kenya Railways Corporation defended the adjustment, saying it was needed “to meet growing fuel costs affecting both inter-county and express services.”
That explanation did little to soothe customers at the time.
Many turned to road transport, and frustration grew as people questioned why taxpayers were still footing part of the railway’s bill even as tickets became more expensive.
Passenger numbers fell in the first half of 2024, dropping from 1.24 million in 2023 to 1.12 million, before the latest rebound.
This recovery is expected to strengthen the corporation’s efforts to pay its way without leaning so heavily on the Treasury.
For years, the operator has depended on state funds to cover payments to Africa Star Railway Operation Company Limited, the Chinese firm that has run the service since 2017. A
lthough both freight and passenger trains now meet daily operating costs, earnings remain far short of the billions needed to repay the loans that built the line.
The improvement in sales comes as plans advance to extend the SGR from Naivasha to Malaba, raising hopes of larger passenger volumes and stronger revenue streams in the years ahead.
