My First SGR Train Experience Came After 9 Years, But I Was Very Disappointed

When the SGR was launched in 2017, it transformed travel between Nairobi and Mombasa. Almost everyone wanted to experience it, thanks to its lower fares and its promise of cutting travel time for the 472-kilometre journey from about nine hours by bus to just five.

I was one of those people.

Except it took me nine years to finally board the train. And when I eventually did, the experience wasn't quite what I had imagined, not because of the train itself, but because of all the hidden costs that came with the journey.

In early July 2026, my friends and I planned a short holiday in Mombasa. I was the only one travelling by the Madaraka Express. The trip happened to coincide with the Summertides Festival in Malindi, an event that attracts thousands of young revellers looking for several days of music, partying and good vibes. The rest of my friends chose to fly to the Coast.

Hoping to avoid the crowded and noisy weekend trains, I booked the Thursday night service instead.

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The Journey Started Getting Expensive Before I Even Boarded

The first surprise came before I even reached the station. From my place along Waiyaki Way, I opted for a taxi using the Nairobi Expressway to beat the evening traffic to Syokimau Terminus. 

The ride cost me Ksh1,200, just Ksh300 less than the Ksh1,500 I had paid for my train ticket.

Ironically, I would later learn that there was a much cheaper option. I could have taken public transport into Nairobi CBD and then boarded the commuter train to Syokimau for just Ksh50.

Lesson learned.

I arrived at the station about an hour before departure, expecting a smooth check-in process. Instead, I first had to go through several layers of security, including luggage screening and a sniffer dog inspection.

Next came the self-service ticket printing machines.

Only five of the eight machines were working, and the queue had already snaked across the hall. I spent roughly 30 minutes waiting just to print my ticket before joining another line for the final verification.

By the time I finally boarded, there were barely ten minutes left before departure. My seat was in Economy Coach E14.

The Ride Was Smooth, But Sleep Was Impossible

The train pulled out almost exactly on time at 10 pm.

For the first couple of hours, everything was exactly as I had imagined. The ride was smooth, the train was fast, and watching Nairobi's lights disappear into the darkness was oddly satisfying.

Then midnight arrived.

It turned out I was travelling with a sizeable group of festival-goers heading to Malindi. Silence and consideration for fellow passengers were clearly not on their itinerary.

As I tried to doze off, portable speakers started popping up across different coaches. Before long, multiple playlists were competing for attention at full volume.

Any hopes of getting some sleep quickly disappeared. The seats weren't exactly the most comfortable either, so I gave up on sleeping altogether.

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The Food Prices Were Another Surprise

Instead, I decided to buy something to eat. I waved over one of the attendants and took a look at the menu. 

The prices immediately caught my attention.

A Minute Maid juice was selling for Ksh150, yet the same drink goes for about Ksh80 in most supermarkets. Meals were at least 50% more expensive than what you'd typically pay on the ground, while an alcoholic drink retailing for around Ksh250 had doubled to Ksh500.

Hungry passengers don't have much bargaining power. By the time I finished ordering, I had spent about Ksh1,000 on snacks alone.

Then another problem cropped up.

About four hours into the journey, my phone battery died.

I hadn't carried a power bank and, unfortunately, my coach didn't have charging sockets near my seat. Just like that, I was completely offline for the remainder of the trip.

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Arriving in Mombasa Came With More Unexpected Costs

We arrived at the Mombasa Terminus in the wee hours of the morning.

Luckily, the commuter train that connects passengers to Mombasa town was already waiting. The ride takes only about 15 minutes and is significantly cheaper than taking a taxi.

Unfortunately, my phone was dead, and I didn't have cash with me. That meant I couldn't pay.

I had no choice but to look for somewhere to charge my phone first, missing the cheaper connection in the process.

That search turned into another unexpected adventure.

The lobby at the Mombasa Terminus felt like an expensive abandoned building at that hour. Despite the impressive architecture, I couldn't find any accessible charging sockets.

I spotted a few upstairs, but security promptly informed me that the upper floor was off-limits at that time.

Running out of options, I explained my situation to one of the attendants. She agreed to charge my phone for Ksh50.

So there I was, sitting in the cold for about 30 minutes, waiting for my phone to come back to life.

Once it had enough charge, my only realistic option was to order a taxi to my hotel in Nyali. That ride cost another Ksh1,100.

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My Ksh2,000 Budget Ended Up Costing Ksh4,800

When I finally added everything up, the numbers surprised me. I had budgeted less than Ksh2,000 for the trip.

Instead, I ended up spending around Ksh4,800. The SGR ticket itself was only Ksh1,500.

Everything else, like getting to the station, overpriced food, charging my phone, and the last-mile transport at the destination, is what quietly pushed the cost to more than double what I had expected.

Would I use the SGR again?

Probably yes.

But next time, I'd arrive at the station using the commuter train, carry my own snacks, pack a fully charged power bank, and plan my last-mile transport before leaving Nairobi.

Sometimes, the cheapest ticket isn't necessarily the cheapest journey.