Kenya Railways to refund passengers after July 6 Mombasa-Nairobi train suspension

Kenya Railways will refund passengers affected by the suspension of the 10pm Madaraka Express passenger train from Mombasa to Nairobi on July 6, 2025, due to technical issues. 

In a notice published on Tuesday, Kenya Railways explained that the refunds would be accorded to those who were unable to travel via the alternative train options.

For passengers who had not printed their tickets, the corporation noted that their refunds would be automatically processed to the mobile number used during the ticket purchase.

Passengers who had already printed their tickets have however been advised by Kenya Railways to present them at the nearest terminus or station for refund processing.

"We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused and thank you for your patience and understanding," the notice read in part.

The suspension of the Madaraka Express train on Sunday, July 6, affected passengers scheduled to travel on the night service along the busy Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) route.

It also came amid heightened travel disruptions by security services ahead of the Saba Saba demonstrations. 

A major traffic snarl-up was witnessed Saturday afternoon along the Mombasa-Diani Road, just metres from the Dongo Kundu bypass, after police mounted roadblocks targeting youths returning from the Diani Summer Tides festival. 

Motorists travelling from Kwale County en route to Nairobi via the SGR were also caught in the gridlock as police launched a sweeping security operation to inspect vehicles ferrying groups of young festival-goers.

Reports indicated that the traffic came to a complete standstill as officers conducted thorough searches on each vehicle, sparking frustration among commuters.