Nairobi railway station

Nairobi railway station is a railway station located in Nairobi, Kenya.[2] The station is on the metre gauge Uganda Railway, and previously provided services to Mombasa three times per week.[3] However, in 2017, the new Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway took over services to Mombasa, starting from a new Nairobi Terminus in Syokimau, 20km from Nairobi CBD.[4]

Nairobi railway station
Heavy rail / freight
General information
Coordinates1.291664°S 36.828619°E / -1.291664; 36.828619
Line(s)Uganda Railway
History
Opened1899[1]
Services
Preceding station Kenya Railways Following station
Terminus Embakasi route Makadara
towards Embakasi Village
Syokimau route Makadara
towards Syokimau
Lukenya route Makadara
towards Lukenya
Ruiru route Makadara
towards Ruiru
Kibera
towards Nairobi
 Limuru route Terminus
Former services
Preceding station Kenya Railways Following station
Kikuyu
towards Kisumu
 Uganda Railway Athi River
towards Mombasa

History
Trains at the former railway station
Kenya Railways in 2011

The station was built in 1899 and saw structural additions throughout the 20th century.[1] It is on the site of the first stone building in Nairobi in 1904, which was a Catholic church. That church now meets at the Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Family.[5]

When the railway connection between Kenya and Tanzania closed in 2006, rail services ceased to operate between the two countries. A bus route, however, provides international transport between Nairobi and Arusha, the journey taking approximately five hours.[6]

In 2012, the Kenyan government opened a new metro rail service from Nairobi station to the suburb of Syokimau. Syokimau will get a few trains every day, although there was criticism that a ticket would cost more than the average daily wage.[7]

Museum
Main article: Nairobi Railway Museum

In 1971, the East African Railways and Harbours Corporation established the Nairobi Railway Museum to preserve and display the history of rail travel in East Africa. The museum is connected to the main line by rail, allowing steam excursions on restored locomotives.[8]

References
  1. "Nairobi Railway Station". ArchNet. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 2010. Archived from the original on 9 May 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  2. "Nairobi Railway Station". 31 January 2011.
  3. "Nairobi-Mombasa train with Kenya Railways". East Africa Shuttles and Safaris. 8 February 2010. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  4. "A beginner's complete guide to using Madaraka Express". 15 June 2017.
  5. Kenya: centenary celebrations at Nairobi's Basilica, 2004, Independent Catholic News, Retrieved 28 October 2015
  6. "Nairobi railway station page". Nairobi.be. 2747.com. 1 November 2009. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  7. Traffic-clogged Nairobi opens commuter rail route, 16 November 2012, CapitalFM, Retrieved 29 October 2015
  8. Wall, Graeme (30 October 2009). "Nairobi Railway Museum". Greywall. Greywall Productions. Retrieved 13 February 2010.

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