Kenya Railways has launched a dedicated vehicle freight service on the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), offering a safer, faster and cheaper alternative for moving vehicles between Mombasa, Nairobi and Naivasha.

The inaugural consignment arrived at the Nairobi Inland Container Depot (ICD) on Friday, marking what Managing Director Philip Mainga called “a new chapter in vehicle transport in Kenya.”

Railway Transport in Kenya

“These are very exciting times for the railway business in Kenya,” Mainga said during the reception of the first batch. He revealed the Corporation has been running trials since last year to perfect the service.

The first shipment was transported in partnership with vehicle dealer Autobarn East Africa, which plans to move about 700 vehicles monthly from Mombasa to Nairobi using the SGR.

Vehicles are carried in specialised freight wagons, each with a capacity of six cars, designed to prevent dirt, dents and wear associated with long-distance road transport.

“We are calling on importers and clearing agents to work with us,” Mainga said. “Instead of relying entirely on road transportation, customers can now explore rail as an option for moving their vehicles safely and efficiently. It also reduces the number of vehicles on long-distance road journeys.”

Key Benefits:

* For Dealers & Importers: Transit time cut from over 24 hours by road to about 8 hours by rail. Lower insurance, fuel and driver costs. Vehicles arrive showroom-clean.

* For Regional Trade: Kenya Railways is targeting importers and traders in DRC, Rwanda, South Sudan, Burundi, Uganda and Tanzania who use Mombasa port.

* For Holidaymakers: In a first, private motorists travelling between Nairobi, Naivasha and Mombasa can now have their personal cars transported by SGR and collect them on arrival.

Under the arrangement, travellers will be able to transport their personal vehicles by SGR, collect them at their destination and use the same service for return journeys.

Mainga said the initiative would also contribute to road safety by reducing the number of motorists undertaking exhausting long-distance drives, thereby helping minimise fatigue-related accidents.

The launch represents another opportunity for Kenya Railways to expand its freight operations, strengthen regional trade connectivity and provide businesses and travellers with more transport options.