Hotels and national parks in Kenya are expected to receive more visitors in the upcoming high season thanks to the inauguration of modern passenger train services.

On May 31, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta commissioned a standard gauge railway project offering  modern passenger train services between Mombasa and Nairobi.

The affordable passenger train services come as a huge relief to both local and international visitors travelling between Mombasa and Nairobi cities.

The train fare for passengers travelling between Mombasa and Nairobi, a distance of 472km is Ksh700 (roughly $7) for Economy Class and Ksh3000 (roughly $30) for First Class. The journey take roughly four and a half hours each way.

The pricing compares favourably with air fares. A return fare for air transport between Mombasa and Nairobi on Economy Class ranges between Ksh9 000 ($90) and Ksh31 000 ($310) depending on a local airline.

Bus fares for road transport from Mombasa to Nairobi range between Ksh1,000 ($10) and Ksh2,000 ($20) depending on a bus company.

For the initial stages, one train will depart from Mombasa at 09h00 and arrive in Nairobi at 13h30 while another will depart from Nairobi at 09h00 and arrive in Mombasa at 13h30.

The frequencies might be increased depending on customer demand.

According to Kenya Coast Tourism Association (KCTA) Mohamed Hersi, the passenger train services would boost tourism in both Mombasa and Nairobi cities as well as neighbouring towns.

He said the impact of the train services to tourism will be felt from the high season which begins in mid-July to the December festive season. “If all goes well in the August 8 polls, we expect more Kenyan holidaymakers and foreign tourists to travel to Mombasa for holiday due to the cheaper rail transport,” he said.

Hersi, who is also the Heritage Hotels Chief Executive Officer, said holidaymakers who choose to travel by train to Mombasa during peak season would make a good save.

Lofty Tours Director, Monika Solanki, said the train services would bring down travel costs and encourage both local and international tourists to visit various parts of the country for beach and safari.

She added that it would be more convenient for wildlife enthusiasts to access Tsavo East and West National Parks as well as Amboseli from either Mombasa or Nairobi.

“Over the years, some tourists have been missing opportunities of travelling for morning game drives at Tsavo East and West parks due to snarl ups on the Mombasa-Nairobi highway,” she said. “But in the wake of the train launch, tourists would be heading to the parks by train and then be picked by tour vans at Voi, Mtito Andei and Emali.”