Thousands of passengers using the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) are set to enjoy easier access to Nairobi's central business district under a planned rail extension that will allow travellers to board and alight in the city centre instead of making the extra journey to the Syokimau passenger terminus. The project is expected to remove a long-standing transport challenge that has forced commuters to rely on connecting trains, matatus and taxis to complete their journeys.
The Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) is seeking a contractor to develop a 15-kilometre SGR line linking the Syokimau passenger terminus with Nairobi Central Station, which is currently served only by the older metre-gauge railway (MGR). Once complete, the extension will allow passengers travelling on the SGR to Mombasa, and other destinations in future, to begin or end their journeys in Nairobi's CBD instead of travelling to Syokimau.
For years, the missing rail link between the SGR terminal and the city centre has left passengers with an additional journey after arriving in Nairobi. Many have been forced to transfer to the MGR commuter train or use taxis and matatus to reach the CBD before continuing to their final destinations.
KRC says the planned extension is meant to address that challenge while supporting wider plans to modernise rail transport in the capital.
"The proposed project is strategically important because it closes the last-mile rail gap between the Nairobi SGR passenger terminal at Syokimau and the Nairobi central business district," KRC said in a disclosure.
"This ensures that there is a direct SGR passenger access to the central railway precinct and supporting the wider Nairobi Railway City programme."
Project documents seen by Business Daily show the works will include construction of the new 15-kilometre railway line together with separate passenger platforms at Imara Daima, Makadara and Nairobi CBD stations. Passenger overpasses will also be built to connect the new SGR platforms with the existing MGR platforms.
The current MGR commuter service between Syokimau and Nairobi CBD passes through Embakasi, Imara Daima, Donholm and Makadara. The proposed SGR extension will follow the same route but will only have stations at Imara Daima and Makadara before reaching the city centre.
The project will also improve parts of the existing MGR network. A four-kilometre section of the line that is often affected by flooding will be upgraded through the installation of up to 10 culverts, while the existing steel sleepers will be replaced with concrete ones to improve the condition of the track.
KRC says the upgrades are expected to strengthen commuter rail operations by reducing disruptions caused by flooding.
"This is expected to 'improve the reliability and availability of existing commuter rail services by reducing flood-related disruptions, improving drainage performance, and protecting the track formation,' KRC said."
The contractor will also be required to design and build a bridge over the Mukuru River and reconstruct the Likoni bridge as part of the wider works.
The extension forms part of the planned Nairobi Railway City project, a Sh28 billion development that aims to transform 13 acres of underused land into a modern transport hub. The State-owned corporation is currently finalising the design, while the construction tender is expected to be awarded soon. The project is receiving support from the United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office.
At the same time, the government has begun preparations for the next phase of the SGR expansion from Naivasha to Malaba to improve rail connectivity across the country.
The planned SGR Phase 2B project will involve construction of a 263.7-kilometre railway beginning at the Nairobi-Naivasha SGR terminus before passing through Narok, Bomet, Sotik, Sondu and Ahero, and ending in Kisumu.
According to KRC's plans, the project will also include improvements at Kisumu Port, including construction of an eight-kilometre branch line, two multi-purpose berths and workboat berths to allow ships to dock safely.
The planned investments come as more travellers continue to turn to rail transport, with both SGR and MGR services attracting growing interest as higher fuel prices push up the cost of road travel.
Last year, SGR passenger numbers rose by 11 per cent to 2.7 million from 2.4 million in 2024, earning KRC an additional Sh700 million in revenue.
In contrast, the MGR network has continued to record lower passenger numbers across the country, with the total number of travellers falling by almost half over the past four years.