Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) recorded an increase in both passenger and freight traffic in the first half of 2026, with more travellers using the train service and cargo volumes rising compared to the same period last year.
Provisional data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that passenger numbers reached approximately 1.31 million between January and June 2026, up from 1.19 million recorded during the first six months of 2025.
The figures, sourced from the Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC), represent a 10.3 per cent increase in passenger traffic, pointing to continued demand for rail transport between Nairobi and Mombasa.
The growth comes despite a 50 per cent increase in passenger fares introduced in January 2024, which raised the cost of travelling on the railway service.
According to KNBS, both local travellers and international tourists heading to the coastal city of Mombasa continued to use the SGR, with speed and convenience remaining among the factors supporting demand.
The railway offers an alternative to road transport for passengers travelling between the capital and the coast, with scheduled services connecting the two cities.
Cargo traffic also increased
Freight operations recorded growth during the six months, with the volume of goods transported by the SGR rising to approximately 4.1 million tonnes from 3.56 million tonnes in the first half of 2025.
This represents an increase of about 15.2 per cent, highlighting the railway’s continued role in moving goods across the country.
The increase in freight volumes was accompanied by higher revenue from cargo operations. KNBS reported that the service generated approximately $70.9 million in revenue between January and June 2026, compared to $68.1 million during the same period last year.
The figures represent a revenue increase of about 4.1 per cent, although the growth in earnings was slower than the rise in cargo volumes.
The SGR plays a significant role in transporting cargo from the Port of Mombasa to inland destinations, including Nairobi and the Naivasha freight terminal, providing businesses with an alternative to road haulage.
The railway’s passenger and freight services form part of Kenya’s wider transport network, linking the coast to major commercial centres and supporting the movement of people and goods.
The latest figures show that both segments recorded higher traffic in the first half of 2026, with passenger numbers increasing by more than 120,000 and cargo volumes rising by approximately 540,000 tonnes compared to the first half of 2025.
However, the provisional statistics cover only the first six months of the year and do not establish whether the same growth rates will continue throughout 2026.
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