Nairobi Commuter Rail

The Nairobi Commuter Rail (NCR) is a rail network serving Nairobi and its suburbs. It has five lines and 22 stations. In the first six months of 2023, the service was used by 7354 passengers daily.^[1]

Nairobi Commuter Rail
Overview
Stations	22
Service
Type	Commuter rail
Services	5
Operator(s)	Kenya Railways Corporation
Daily ridership	7354[1]
Technical
Track length	165 km (102.53 mi)[2]
Number of tracks	Double track between Makadara and Nairobi, single track elsewhere[3]
Track gauge	1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge

After undergoing modernization, the NCR was inaugurated on 10 November 2020 by then president Uhuru Kenyatta.^[4]

On 15 December 2023, president William Ruto launched construction of the new Riruta–Ngong line that will run through Riruta, Karen, Bulbul and Ngong stations, to be built by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).^[5] The second phase will extend this line to Kiserian, and the third phase will extend it to Ongata Rongai.^[6]

There are plans to extend the Nairobi–Embakasi Village line to Ruai and the Nairobi–Syokimau line to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.^[7]

Lines

Nairobi Commuter Rail Map
Legend
to Kijabe Limuru to Nanyuki Kikuyu Ruiru Dagoretti Kahawa West Kibera Githurai Nairobi Mwiki Makadara Dandora Donholm Imara Daima Pipeline Embakasi Village Nairobi Terminus Syokimau Embakasi Mlolongo Athi River Kitengela Lukenya to Mombasa

Line	Services per day (both directions)[8]	Average daily ridership (2023H1)[1]
Nairobi–Embakasi Village	15	1994
Nairobi–Syokimau	12[lower-alpha 1]	1465
Nairobi–Limuru	2	920
Nairobi–Lukenya	2	354
Nairobi–Ruiru	4[lower-alpha 2]	2622

1. One service (at night) starts at Nairobi Terminus.
2. Two services start/end at Kahawa West.

Rolling stock

In April 2020 Kenya Railways acquired 11 refurbished diesel multiple units from Serveis Ferroviaris de Mallorca.^[9] These trains were built between 1994 and 2003 by CAF as Serie 61 de SFM [es] and were running on the metre gauge railway network on the Spanish island of Mallorca.

See also

• Nairobi Light Rail

References

1. Ambani, Brian (16 October 2023). "Nairobi-Ruiru train route the most profitable for Kenya Railways". Nation. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
2. "Strategic plan 2023–2027" (PDF). Kenya Railways. p. 49. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
3. Kiarie, Pauline Wambui (2014). Sustainable management of rail land: a case study of Nairobi Commuter Rail network (PDF) (MSc thesis). Kenyatta University. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
4. "Uhuru Launches New Nairobi Commuter Rail Service". Mwakilishi.com. Retrieved 2020-11-11.
5. "Kenya launches construction of commuter rail to ease traffic congestion in capital city". Xinhuanet. 16 December 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
6. Ngotho, Stanley (19 December 2023). "Sh1.2bn Riruta-Ngong rail project faces headwinds as communities claim land". Nation. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
7. "Strategic plan 2023–2027" (PDF). Kenya Railways. p. 59. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
8. "Nairobi Commuter Rail service schedule" (PDF). Kenya Railways. February 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
9. "Kenya starts shipping Sh1.1 billion refurbished diesel trains". The Star. Retrieved 2020-11-11.