President William Ruto will officially commission the Mombasa Commuter Rail Service on Wednesday, September 17, a public notice released by the Kenya Railways Corporation on Monday stated.
The commissioning comes in the wake of preparedness of the project, which was started in 2022 and is now set for optimal use.
In a press release announcing the event, the company teased the convenience the new service delivers.
“What if traveling from the Mombasa Terminus to Mombasa CBD was easy? What if the trip took minutes, not hours? What if the train took the trouble?” the announcement stated.
“On 17th September 2025, the what-ifs become a reality as the Mombasa Commuter Rail Service is to be launched by President William Ruto officially. Mombasa will move differently.”
The Sh6 billion rail line will offer Mombasa’s residents a faster, safer, and more affordable way of traveling.
It will cover a distance of 17 kilometres, connecting the Mombasa SGR Terminus in Miritini to the Central Business District (CBD).
It will also serve as a valuable link for commuters entering Mombasa by the Madaraka Express from Nairobi. Customers will enjoy the option between ‘Park and Ride’ or ‘Drop and Ride’, depending on their needs.
The trains will have different stops along the journey, including Miritini, Changamwe West, Changamwe East, Shimanzi, and then the Mombasa Central Station.
When doing a past survey of the new line, Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said the service will likely transport 4,000 passengers daily, which will decongest Mombasa’s streets.
The construction involved upgrading the old Mombasa Island–Miritini metre-gauge railway, and building a new Mombasa MGR station.
Last month in February, Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Mainga agreed that the commuter train will connect the Miritini SGR terminus directly to the city center a journey that has had no easy transit solution for so long.
“We are planning to operationalise the Link train for Mombasa County shortly. Once in operation, locals, visitors, and train enthusiasts traveling to Mombasa will have the opportunity to utilize the Link train,” Mainga stated.
