Kenya Railways has explained why passengers travelling in the SGR Premium Class pay more than those in First Class, following questions from Kenyans online.
The issue came up after passengers questioned what exactly makes Premium Class different from First Class, considering both options offer a more comfortable journey compared to Economy Class.
According to Kenya Railways, the higher Premium Class fare comes with additional services and a more personalised travel experience.
A one-way ticket from Nairobi to Mombasa in Premium Class currently costs Ksh12,000, while a return ticket goes for Ksh20,000.
Passengers in the premium coaches get larger seats that can recline fully. They are also served by a dedicated crew and have access to an exclusive lounge.
The service also comes with meals and refreshments during the journey.
Other features include Wi-Fi, entertainment, individual reading lights and charging ports.
These are some of the services Kenya Railways says justify the higher cost of Premium Class.
New First Class coaches coming
On the other hand, there will be an introduction of better First Class carriages, providing travelers another alternative to travel comfortably without having to pay the Premium Class prices.
The carriages are expected to have fully reclining seats and individual screens and headrests.
There will also be availability of plug-in sockets, lights and wi-fi on the carriages.
Refreshment services will be offered during the ride, and also First Class dinner service will be offered in the carriages.
One of the changes that could make the new coaches stand out is their smaller capacity. Each carriage will accommodate about 28 passengers, giving travellers more space during the journey.
The new First Class service is also expected to include blankets for passengers, particularly during longer or overnight journeys.
In many ways, the upgraded First Class coaches will offer some of the features currently associated with Premium Class.
Here comes the issue of price.
Though the Premium Class costs Ksh12,000 one way from Nairobi to Mombasa, Kenya Railways has not been clear on whether the existing First Class train price would stay the same after the installation of the new coaches.
It will be up to the passengers to find out if the new and improved First Class train will go for a higher price or if the railway operator will stick to the current price.
Those travelers who can’t afford the Ksh12,000 that Premium Class train goes for, could consider going for the new upgraded First Class trains as an alternative in-between SGR coaches and Premium Class coaches.
But the passengers will have to find out the new price after Kenya Railways announces the price.
