You can now book online for your travel on SGR

Kenya Railways Corporation has announced that passengers travelling on the Madaraka Express can now book their tickets over the internet following the introduction of the online booking system.

The online platform will enable a customer to purchase a maximum of five tickets per transaction and pay via M-Pesa, said KRC Managing Director Atanas Maina.

Upon payment, the customer will receive a transaction confirmation message via phone with an option to check the ticket status online.

This comes days after adjustment of the advance ticket booking window to 30 days from 14.

“Online booking platform is a positive move for passengers who have been calling upon the Corporation to diversify the booking options,” said Maina.

He expressed confidence that the addition of the online platform will go a long way in easing the challenges associated with booking a ride on the Madaraka Express train.

Customers have been relying on the USSD payment solution where they dial *639# to book, and pay via M-pesa or visit the nearest SGR station to purchase tickets over the counter. Customers to print the tickets at the self-service machines at the station of departure.

At the same time,the management urged members of the public along the Nairobi- Naivasha section of the SGR project to be patient, reassuring them of immense opportunities during construction of the second phase of the railway line.

The MD was responding to an unfortunate incident that happened yesterday at the Nairobi- Naivasha SGR Section six in Suswa area, Narok County where 200 local youth forced their way into the construction camp demanding for employment, and leading to the death of one of the locals.

This was after the contractor recently employed about 80 workers at the section, increasing the number of employees to 310, with 280 recruited from Narok County.

This did not go down well with unsuccessful applicants who felt they should be employed automatically regardless of whether the project can sustain them.

Maina said the project is in its initial stages and construction works are yet to fully take off, hence minimal employees engaged currently.

So far, the Relocation Action Plan is complete and the Project Affected Persons (PAPs) notified of impending acquisition of land by the National Lands Commission.

The NLC has already gazetted sections of the corridor signalling the commencement of acquisition. Maina confirmed that the contractor is currently mobilising resources in preparation for actual construction, expected to commence soon.