Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) has launched a dedicated service that carries vehicles on the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) between Mombasa and Nairobi, The Standard reported. The service connects onward to Naivasha. The first consignment arrived at the Nairobi Inland Container Depot on Friday.
KRC Managing Director Philip Mainga said the service marks a new chapter in vehicle transport in Kenya. He said the corporation has been running trials since last year. Mainga added that these were very exciting times for the railway business in Kenya.
Vehicle dealer Autobarn East Africa partnered with KRC on the first shipment. Vehicles travel in specialised freight wagons, and each wagon holds six cars. According to The Standard, Autobarn plans to move about 700 vehicles a month from Mombasa to Nairobi on the service.
Mainga said rail offers dealers, importers, distributors and bulk shippers a safe, efficient and cost-effective alternative to road transport. He said vehicles arrive in good condition, without the dirt or dents that come with road transport. Transit time falls from more than a day by road to about eight hours by rail, he added.
KRC wants more players in the motor vehicle trade to use the service. Mainga called on importers and clearing agents to work with the corporation. He said rail also reduces the number of vehicles making long road journeys.
Holidaymakers travelling between Nairobi, Naivasha and Mombasa can also use the service. They can send their personal vehicles by SGR, collect them on arrival and use the same service for the return trip. Mainga said this will help reduce fatigue-related road accidents by encouraging motorists to avoid long-distance driving.