Reasons an SGR Trip to Mombasa Rocks : The SGR brings back to life our Lunatic Express service, which was shut down a hundred years ago and is now called the Madaraka Express. The name comes from the fact that it runs on a standard gauge train line. This one piece of infrastructure is the most expensive thing Kenya has ever built since it became independent. In the end, it cost a huge 3.6 billion USD.
People are still arguing about whether or not it was a good investment, but Madaraka Express is without a doubt a game-changer for the country. These are the main reasons why it’s become the most popular way for tourists to get to and from the port city of Mombasa.
- Cheaper and Faster.
A few years ago, you had to take the bus to get to Mombasa from Nairobi if you couldn’t afford to fly. The first one could get you there in about an hour, but the second one took fifteen hours, which is crazy. A lot of people took buses instead of expensive planes because they could not afford them. A trip on the SGR now takes five hours! It is much cheaper than a plane and goes much faster than a bus. The price ranges from USD 10 to USD 30 based on whether you travel in first class or economy class.
- Convenient.
Some people think that an SGR trip is the best way to get to and from Mombasa, which is a port city. Here’s why.
Three times a day, the Madaraka Express makes three trips back and forth between Nairobi and Mombasa. After leaving Athi River, the Intercounty train stops at Emali, Kibwezi, Mtito Andei, Voi, Miasenyi, and Mariakani. It runs in the morning. Both ways leave at 8 a.m., and it gets there around 2 p.m., after six hours. The Express train goes an hour faster because it doesn’t stop, and it runs every afternoon and every night. The fast train in the afternoon leaves at 3:00 pm and gets there at 8:00 pm. The night train leaves at 10 pm and gets there at 3:35 am.
What’s the difference between the Express Train and the County Train?
The fast train doesn’t stop, but the county train does.
The fast train only takes five hours, while the county train takes six.
The county train only goes one way at 8:00 am, going both ways, and the express train only goes two ways between 3:00 pm and 10:00 pm.
You can pick a non-express trip that gives you a lot of time in the countryside or a direct trip that gives you two journey times to choose from. If you need to change your travel plans for any reason, it’s easy to do so through their customer service lines. The phone numbers might not work, though. They don’t go through very often!) Don’t forget to do this 48 hours before your trip.
- Breathtaking Countryside Views.
The Lunatic Express came before the Madaraka Express, and both trains went through beautiful landscapes. It is truly amazing to see the Tsavo National Park. Since November, Tsavo’s red land has turned into a green paradise thanks to the short rains. That way, you won’t get to see the only red elephants in the world! The famous red colour of elephants in Tsavo comes from the fine red volcanic soil they walk on all the time. They aren’t red because they can’t soak up the dust when it rains. They are still tuskers, though, which means they are one of a kind because they have the world’s biggest and most massive tusks. Did you know that the star of the documentary Elephant Queen lives in Tsavo? Her name is Athena.
You can also see how people live in the edges of cities as you go through places like Kitengela and Athi River.
On the SGR trip, you can also see Mount Kilimanjaro, which is known for being shy and has a snowy top. Beautiful views can be seen from this African rock, which is the tallest. You can also see how people live in the edges of cities as you go through places like Kitengela and Athi River. Big Baobab trees start to show up as you get closer to the coast. While villagers work on their farms or women wash their clothes in streams, these trees stand as an old natural wonder.
- Safe.
A lot of attention is paid to passenger safety on an SGR trip, which is good if service is also added. If not, it can be a little scary for someone like me who has never done it before. In a very military way, guards with sniffer dogs separate people from their bags. The guards pat you down while the dogs look through your bags. After that, you and your bags go through another security check with an X-ray machine. After this point, you start to question whether this was the right choice. Finally, after a third check, you are let into the waiting bay. Even though security isn’t very important right now, it can be done with a human touch.
- Comfortable.
When you take an SGR trip, you can choose to travel in either first class or economy class. Adults will pay USD 30 for first class, and kids aged three to eleven will only pay USD 15. Economy class costs USD 10 for adults and USD 5 for kids ages 3 to 11. Any child younger than three years old can go for free in either class. Here is a list of all the other changes.
