Commissioning of the Mombasa Commuter Rail Service
On 17 September 2025, in Mombasa County, His Excellency Hon. William Samoei Ruto, Ph.D., C.G.H., President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, launched the Mombasa Commuter Rail Service.
The new service is expected to transform how people move in and out of the coastal city of Mombasa. It provides a timely solution to long-standing challenges faced by passengers commuting between the central business district and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) terminus at Miritini, who have endured congestion, delays, and unreliable road traffic.
Journeys will become faster, safer, and more predictable, reducing commuting time between Mombasa town and the SGR terminal, lowering road gridlocks, accidents, and costs, and providing a modern, affordable, and reliable travel option.
The service will stop at Miritini, Changamwe West, Changamwe East, Shimanzi, Mazeras, and Mombasa CBD. By serving these routes, it will decongest the city, enhance productivity, and ease daily commuting for thousands of people.
The event also carried historical significance. Kilometre Zero is where the Kenya-Uganda Railway began nearly 130 years ago, carrying the promise of modernisation, trade, and integration into the interior, reaching Kisumu (then Port Florence) in 1901 and Kampala in 1931.
With this commissioning, Kilometre Zero once again becomes the starting point of Kenya’s transport revolution. For the first time since the SGR was commissioned in 2017, passengers can begin their journey in Mombasa town, seamlessly connecting to the Madaraka Express and beyond.
The rehabilitation of the 13.8 km metre-gauge railway from Kilometre Zero to Miritini, together with the construction of a new 2.8 km link to the SGR, has permanently closed the gap between city and rail. The link provides a critical first and last mile connection for commuters, visitors, and tourists, with a daily capacity of up to 4,000 passengers, reducing pressure on roads and improving access to the Madaraka Express.
Efficient, safe, and sustainable transport is positioned as the backbone of a strong economy. By shifting passengers from road to rail, maintenance costs are lowered, emissions are reduced, and transport safety is improved. This strengthens Mombasa’s role as a trade and tourism hub while reinforcing Kenya’s position as the gateway to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Rail remains a safe mode of transport. With an average of 2.6 million passengers already using the Madaraka Express annually, the commuter link will increase passenger numbers, improve safety, and save lives by reducing road carnage.
The project forms part of the government’s wider strategy to expand the national rail network from Naivasha to Malaba via Kisumu, and along the Lamu Port–South Sudan–Ethiopia Transport Corridor, with the ultimate goal of achieving a seamlessly connected Kenya and Africa.
The commissioning of the Mombasa Commuter Rail Service stands as a symbol of the past, a solution for the present, and a promise for the future — positioning Kilometre Zero as the epicentre of Kenya’s modern economic journey. The service is now officially open for operations.
