Passengers spend night in wilderness after train breakdown

Passengers onboard the Nairobi-Nanyuki commuter train spent Friday night in the bushes after the locomotive developed mechanical problems. Passengers had to wait until Saturday morning to be rescued by the operator buses or to explore other alternatives.

The ill-fated train left Nairobi Friday morning and was supposed to reach Nanyuki at 4:46pm, however, it stalled midway at some bushes near Kiganjo, Nyeri county at around 9:00pm.

Passengers aboard the train spent the cold night in the bushes as trekking to a nearby town centre proved impossible at night. The passengers hoped the train would be soon be fixed which never happened.

A passenger who shared his experiences on Twitter said it was thrilling and equally scaring.

The ‘Economy Class’ passengers felt a greater pinch as the cabins could not provide the much needed comfort for the night. Passengers who had children took the brunt of the broken train as it’s food supplies ran dry.

Kenya Railways on Saturday evening apologized for the delay saying the normal service would resume on Sunday 9:00am.

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— Kenya Railways (@KenyaRailways_) January 16, 2021

The return of Nairobi-Nanyuki passenger train was a big reprieve for passengers as it slashed transport costs by almost three times.

For a journey that costs between Sh600 to Sh700 by matatus, the train charges only Sh200. Kenya Railways shared their excitement after resuming the route operations during last year’s Christmas season.