Chinese and Kenyan drivers prepare to launch the train at the Nairobi station of Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, Nov. 17, 2021. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)
The number of passengers ferried on Kenya's standard gauge railway train more than doubled in 2021 as cargo volume similarly maintained an upward trend, data from the government statistician showed.
NAIROBI, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The number of passengers ferried on Kenya's standard gauge railway (SGR) train more than doubled in 2021 as cargo volume similarly maintained an upward trend, data from the government statistician released on Thursday showed.
The train ferried 1.99 million passengers during the period, up from 811,552 in 2020 as the 2021 numbers surpassed pre-COVID levels, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
Passengers are seen at the Nairobi station of Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, Nov. 17, 2021. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)
From the 1.99 million passengers, the Chinese-built train service generated revenue of 2.2 billion shillings (about 19.2 million U.S. dollars), up from 8 million dollars in 2020.
In 2021, Kenya opened up its economy following management of the spread of COVID-19, doing away with restrictions like curfew thus giving a boost to the diverse sectors.
Demand for the service, therefore, surged especially in December 2021, pushing Kenya Railways to add the number of coaches on the train that shuttles between Nairobi and Mombasa, giving a boost to the tourism sector.
On the other hand, the SGR train hauled some 5.4 million metric tons of cargo, generating revenue of 115 million dollars, up from 4.4 million metric tons in 2020 and a revenue of 108 million dollars, according to KNBS. ■
