SGR Hits New Highs as Passenger and Cargo Soar in 2025

Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) recorded its strongest performance in 2025, with both passenger numbers and cargo volumes hitting new highs.

The latest data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows the rail line is increasingly vital for travel and trade across the country.

Passenger numbers rose to 2.73 million in 2025, up from 2.44 million in 2024, representing an 11.8 per cent increase despite a 50 per cent fare hike in early 2024. This shows that more travellers continue to choose the SGR for its convenience and speed.

The surge in demand led Kenya Railways (KR) to add extra trains, particularly on busy routes linking Nairobi with Mombasa and other major towns.

“Passenger traffic on the SGR increased from 258,600 in November 2025 to 344,391 in December 2025,” KNBS reported, highlighting strong holiday-season travel.

Revenue from passengers also climbed sharply. The railway generated Ksh 4.79 billion (around 37.1 million USD) in 2025, up from 31.7 million USD in 2024.

Freight on the SGR also grew significantly. Cargo hauled reached 7.48 million tonnes in 2025, compared with 6.53 million tonnes in 2024. This earned 128.7 million USD in freight revenue, higher than the previous year.

Combined revenue for the SGR in 2025 stood at 165.8 million USD, up from 139.5 million USD in 2024, showing the railway’s growing role in moving people and goods efficiently.

Experts link the boost in cargo to record throughput at the Port of Mombasa, which fed more freight into the SGR network. The 2025 results mark the first sustained passenger growth since the fare increase, reversing earlier declines and cementing the railway’s importance in Kenya’s transport and trade sectors.