Despite the much hyped corruption allegations surrounding Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR),the project has been ranked seventh in the list of the most remarkable world rail tours for 2019.
The 472km (293 mile) railway that runs from the coastal city of Mamobasa to to Nairobi is the one of country’s biggest infrastructure investments since independence in 1963. The project is also President Uhuru Kenyatta’s greatest achievement even though it was marred with a lot of suspicions and accusations of exaggerated cost.
The project was estimated to have cost the government Kshs. 327 billion transendng to a cost of roughly Ksh.560 million per Kilometre. The cost for this construction was met by the Chinese governmet through a loan.
The railway is built to a modern “standard gauge”and runs parallel to the old metre gauge railway line constructed by the colonial government. Other than connecting Nairobi to Mombasa, the modern railway also provides the link between the coast and Amboseli and Tsavo West national parks which are vital tourist destinations n thecountry.
The project which was officaliy launched by president Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday May 31 2017 was christened Madaraka Express and has far trnsported over 2 million passengers.
According to the Telegraph, Sweden’s Inlandsbanan ranks first, worldwide.
The railway that covers a distance of 1,067 kilometres from Mora to Gallivare links isolated Lapland settlements.
Here are the top 10 of the most remarkable rail tours for 2019
- Inlandsbanan, Sweden
- Flying Scotsman, Britain
- Bordeaux, Cognac and the Loire
- Habsburg Trail, Central Europe
- Flavours of Tuscany, Italy
- Colombo to Jaffna, Sri Lanka
- Madaraka Express, Kenya
- Grand Tour, Scotland
- Highlights of Poland
- Tangier to Marrakech
This indicates that the railway is the best in Africa and is expected to perform better in the coming days given that the government has started construction of the second phase of the SGR that runs from Nairobi city all the way to Naivasha.