Trains in Kenya: tickets, passes and routes

Yes for one route only: the SGR Madaraka Express between Nairobi and Mombasa, about 5–6 hours for KES 1,500 economy or KES 4,500 first class (2026 estimate). It is the best way to the coast and the only train most visitors will use.

No for everything else travellers come to Kenya for. The Masai Mara, Amboseli, Samburu, Laikipia and Lamu have no rail service — fly from Wilson Airport or book a safari vehicle. A slower, less frequent line runs to Kisumu in the west, and commuter services run around Nairobi.

There is no visitor rail pass. Kenya Railways sells point-to-point tickets, so a return trip on the coast line is simply two single tickets. Book on the Kenya Railways site with your passport details and arrive about an hour before departure for the security check.

Kenya's passenger rail network is small. The standard-gauge railway (SGR) runs the Madaraka Express between Nairobi and Mombasa, with an intermediate stop at Voi that puts Tsavo East and West within reach. A separate, slower line links Nairobi with Kisumu in the west, and commuter services run around Nairobi. Everything else travellers usually want — the Masai Mara, Amboseli, Samburu, Laikipia, Lamu — is reached by light aircraft or road, not by train.

For the coast run, the practical sequence is: book on the Kenya Railways site with your passport details, arrive at Syokimau about an hour before departure for the security check, then settle in for roughly 5–6 hours. First class buys you a more comfortable seat and, on some services, a meal; economy is plain but fine for a half-day. The terminus at Syokimau sits about 20 km from central Nairobi, so add a taxi or ride-hailing leg at both ends of the trip. In Mombasa the train ends at Miritini, also outside the city centre.

The Voi stop is the one to remember if you are combining coast and safari. Get off there for Tsavo, arrange a pick-up in advance, and treat the station as a transfer point rather than a place to find transport on the spot. For Kisumu, expect a slower, less frequent service than the coast line; check the current timetable before you build a plan around it.

There is no national rail pass aimed at visitors. Kenya Railways sells point-to-point tickets, and the fare structure is simple enough that a pass would not save you money on a typical trip. If you are riding the coast line once in each direction, two single tickets are the normal purchase.

Book early for peak periods — school holidays, public holidays and the December–January coast season fill the good seats. A passport is needed when booking and again at boarding, so keep it on you rather than in a checked bag.

Treat Syokimau and Miritini as separate journeys. Budget for a taxi or ride-hailing car at each end, and do not cut the connection tight on the day you fly out of Nairobi or Mombasa.

If your goal is the Masai Mara or Amboseli, do not try to make the train work. Fly from Wilson Airport or book a safari vehicle; the rail network does not reach the parks.

For a coast-and-safari combination, the train plus a Voi stop is often cheaper than flying both legs, but it costs you most of a day. Compare against a one-hour domestic flight before deciding.