Madaraka Express passengers until December 31, 2021 to reschedule tickets

Madaraka Express passengers who were unable to use their tickets purchased during the lockdown period early this year have until December 31, 2021 to reschedule the tickets.

This comes after Kenya Railways extended the usage of the bought tickets during the lock down period between 26 March and May 3rd, 2021 to end year.

In a public notice on Thursday the State Corporation said that passengers in possession of the unutilised tickets purchased for travel during the period of the Cessation of Movement Order should visit the nearest Madaraka Express passenger station and reschedule their tickets over the counter.

The passengers can however reschedule the tickets only at least 48 hours before the planned departure time and will be subject to availability of space on the intended travel date.

We wish to inform passengers in possession of unutilised tickets bought for travel during the period of an unused movement order that was in force March 26 and May 3, 2021 that the rescheduling window has been extended until December 31, 2021, read in part the notice.

The passenger is expected to bring along his original identification documents and a copy of the same.

The extension follows an earlier announcement by the Corporation at the end of the cessation of movement order in May.

At the time, Kenya Railways said they had waived the rescheduling fee for tickets purchased before May 2, 2021 and therefore passengers were free to rearrange the use of unutilised tickets to a preferred date of travel.

In March this year, a spike in Covid cases in Kenya prompted Uhuru Kenyatta to order a cessation of movement in five counties namely Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos, Kajiado and Nakuru.

This led to the State Corporation terminating services at a time when a number of Kenyans had already purchased the tickets.

This affected the operation of the Madaraka Express passenger service that is designed to transport passengers between Mombasa and Suswa station with stop-overs at Mariakani, Miasenyi, Voi, Mtito Andei, Kibwezi, Emali, Athi River, Nairobi Terminus, Ongata Rongai, Ngong, & Maai Mahiu stations.

However, during labor day celebrations, President Kenyatta lifted the mobile movement orders in the five counties allowing for the resumption of trains.

Subsequently, the Kenya Railways announced the resumption of the Madaraka Express passenger train service on May 3, 2021.

The Madaraka Express passenger service has been in operation since 1 June 2018 and during that period more than five million passengers have been moved by the train.