The Kenya Railways Corporation has announced plans to reopen the Gilgil-Nyahururu railway line next month, a move intended to enhance connectivity across the Rift Valley region.
The railway corporation reports that the 78-kilometre line is expected to resume operations within weeks, with the objective to support freight efficiency while reinforcing long-term logistics connections between industrial users and national rail infrastructure systems and corridors.
“Kenya Railways further emphasized ongoing intentions to initiate operations along the Gilgil – Nyahururu railway branch line within the next month,” stated Kenya Railways.
The plan was disclosed during a meeting between Kenya Railways and Bamburi Group on May 20, with the primary focus being the introduction of cement trains and clinker shipments to boost cargo volumes expected to transfer from road transport to rail networks.
The rehabilitation process of the decades-old railway line began in August 2020, led by the Kenya Railways Corporation in collaboration with the Nyandarua and Nakuru county governments.
The railway line fell into disuse in the late 1970s and early 1980s following the collapse of the East African Railways Corporation, which disrupted regional rail coordination and operations.
Furthermore, the declining freight volumes and passenger numbers rendered the line economically unviable, as maintenance costs increased while road transport became the favored option for most cargo movement across the region’s corridors.
After closure, the corridor experienced years of neglect, with vandalism, obstructed drainage systems, and sections of track being buried or completely damaged along the abandoned route. Over time, deterioration continued across key segments.
This occurs amid the government’s efforts to expedite rehabilitation of dormant railway lines, concentrating on reviving the meter gauge network to improve cargo capacity and reduce pressure on highways throughout the nation’s logistics systems.
Key initiatives encompass the Nairobi Commuter Rail network upgrade and the Nairobi-Nanyuki line, both aimed at enhancing connectivity across the country and improving the overall passenger experience.
The renewal of these railway lines results from agreements signed by President William Ruto’s administration recently, such as the Africa Forward Summit on May 11 to 13 to modernize the Nairobi Commuter Rail system.
President William Ruto has also, on March 20, inaugurated an expansion of the Standard Gauge Railway network, extending the line from Naivasha through Narok, Bomet, Kericho, and Ahero to Kisumu, with an 8.69-kilometer branch line connecting directly to Kisumu Port.