Kenya’s standard gauge railway (SGR) train registered a record increase in passenger traffic and cargo volumes in 2025 as demand soared, the country’s statistics bureau said.

In data released on Monday, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) announced that passenger traffic for the Chinese-built train stood at 2.73 million by the end of 2025, a rise from 2.44 million in 2024.

The train recorded an 11.8 per cent surge in passenger traffic despite a 50 per cent fare increase in January 2024, pointing to increased demand.

Strong demand for passenger service has seen Kenya Railways (KR) regularly add extra trains. In December 2025, KR announced it would add two passenger trains to and from the capital, Nairobi, to cater to demand.

“Passenger traffic on the SGR increased from 258,600 in November 2025 to 344,391 in December 2025,” the KNBS said.

Revenue generated by the passenger train stood at Ksh4.79 billion ($37.1 million), an increase from 31.7 million dollars in 2024, according to the KNBS. The volume of cargo hauled by the train in 2025 rose to 7.48 million tonnes, an increase from 6.53 million tonnes in 2024, generating $128.7 million, a rise from Ksh107.8 million in 2024, the KNBS said.

Cumulatively, revenue from the train stood at 165.8 million dollars in 2025, up from 139.5 million dollars in 2024.

• A Tell Media / Xinhua report