How to book Madaraka express train tickets in advance by USSD
SGR Kenya is the Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya operated by Kenya Railways Corporation. The Railway line is currently running between the two major cities in Kenya, Mombasa, and Nairobi. Two Trains are operating on this line since November 01, 2017 with each train capacity being 1,200 passengers.
Available Trains in Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway
SGR Madaraka Express Train
This comprises of two express trains running every day between Nairobi and Mombasa. The trains do not stop at any intermediate station. Each train departs at the respective station (at 3:15 pm from MSA & 2:20 pm from NRB) and arrives at the other station (at around 7:20 pm in MSA and 8:15 pm in NRB East African Time). The trains were introduced in November 2017.
SGR Inter-County Train
Unlike the Express train, the Inter-County trains stop at the intermediate stations along the SGR railway line. These stations are; Athi River, Emali, Kibwezi, Mtito Andei, Voi, Miasenyi, and Mariakani. The trains leave either Nairobi (8:00 am) or Mombasa station (7:15 am) and stop along the way until it arrives in Mombasa at 1:55 pm and Nairobi at 1:05 pm East African Time.
Madaraka Express Schedule and Inter-County Train Timetable
Express train
Departure time: (3:15 pm from MSA & 2:20pm from NRB) Arrival time: (8:15 pm to Nairobi & 7:20 pm in Mombasa).
Inter-county train
Departure time: (8:00 am from NRB & 7:15 am from MSA) Arrival time: (1:55 pm in MSA and 1:05 pm in NRB)
The train stops at different intermediate stations along the Standard Gauge Railway.
The detailed schedule of the trains.
SGR Booking Online
Kenyan citizens and residents can book tickets online through Kenya Railways Website. If you are not residing in Kenya or if you can’t manage to buy the tickets using other means available, you can contact me for assistance.
SGR Booking using USSD
This is the easiest and most efficient way. Dial *639# from your Safaricom line and follow the prompts. You will get a Mpesa confirmation message with an account number. Use that number and your mobile number to print the tickets. Then print the tickets on travel day or any other day before you travel.
Other methods include visiting the respective station or calling the counter officers and pay via pay bill.
Location of SGR Train Main Stations
The main stations are Miritini in Mombasa and Syokimau in Nairobi. Click on the links below to the google maps location.
Nairobi Syokimau Madaraka Express Train Station Location
Mombasa Miritini SGR Train Station Location
Madaraka Express Contacts
Here are the contact details for the Kenya Railways Corporation
Phone Numbers
0728603581, 0728603582, 0708572574, 0708571587
Advance tickets booking for the Train
Contact Kenyan Backpacker 7 days before travel if you need advance tickets.
I hope this information helps.
Comment below for any additional information.
60 Comments
advance ticket for a group of btwn 100-200 booking is done howmany days before travel
16 days
I booked today paid via mpesa but no ticket yet please assist
Hello Joshua, In the MPESA message that you received there is an account number, right? You will use that number together with the phone number you used to book to print tickets at the station ot=n travel day.
Make sure you arrive early. You can also print the tickets a few days before travel.
All the best!
I booked for Lilian Njeri Gichigo on 11/1/2018 for 14/1/2018 Inter-County from Mombasa to Nairobi through mpesa and until now ther is no ticket sent BUT the account number is reflected. What do I do and I have been calling the help line with no one picking
Question asked: I have paid for SGR tickets and I haven’t received the confirmation message. What do I do?
Answer: In the Mpesa message that you get there is an account number from SGR, you will use this account number together with the phone number you used to book with to print the tickets at the departure train station. Arrive about one hour and a half in advance.
I paid yesterday to travel tomorrow but i got issiues holding mi back,how can i get my money back
Passengers can get a partial refund of the ticket fee under the following conditions:
If you miss the train and notify the station operator before the train leaves, you will get an 80% refund.
You will not get any refund if you report after the train has departed from the station.
No refund is issued if the tickets are lost or damaged.
I want to book for 20pples to travel to Mombasa intercounty on 22nd February and back on 25 by 6 in the morning.how will I book and how much for economy.
Learn how to book the tickets online by visiting SGR ONLINE BOOKING WEBSITE
Hello i paid for 5 tickets today afternoon but havent received a message about the tickets yet please assist
Hey there,
Question asked: I have paid for SGR tickets and I haven’t received the confirmation message. What do I do?
Answer: In the Mpesa message that you get there is an account number from SGR, you will use this account number together with the phone number you used to book with to print the tickets at the departure train station. Arrive about one hour and a half in advance.
I hope that helps!
Good morning. I have booked via Mpesa for a return trip in February. The designated return date was 3rd Feb morning but I have an appointment in Nairobi on Saturday 3rd morning. Can I request for a refund? Tried to call no one is picking my calls.
Passengers can get a partial refund of the ticket fee under the following conditions:
If you miss the train and notify the station operator before the train leaves, you will get an 80% refund.
You will not get any refund if you report after the train has departed from the station.
No refund is issued if the tickets are lost or damaged.
Hii how do i go about to contact the attendant for cancelation and a refund on my ticket paid through mpesa
Visit the station
Hi…farzila hia, i want contacts of ticket zone….mombasa. wana enquire smthng
What are your phone contacts for Nairobi?
0708388888
Must I go to the train station if i want to change my ticket?
yes
I have been calling the no. 0709 388 388 to enquire if there is space for me to travel on Friday, 9th Feb, with the intercounty train at 8.00am but no one is responding to the calls. How do i know so i can make the booking early? Pls assist.
go to metickets.krc.co.ke
Hey I would like to travel on Friday 30th but online it says it’s booked. What can I do?
Hello, Well, I think if they are fully booked then there is nothing much you can do. but maybe go to the station on travel day and try your luck. It is a big risk but might work.
Hi, so the express train which used to depart at 9am is now departing at 3.15pm from mombasa?
yes
hi, I want to book madaraka express first class today for Monday 19th Feb. 2018 from Nairobi , is there a slot?
Can one carry some Water, juice. Reason why am asking this is because yesterday I boarded the inter county train from the Mombasa & though the snacks were served.. Hatukufikiwa since most of us were alighting at Voi #0734-988166#
Hey. Yes you can carry.
I need a return ticket for a group of 17 travelling to Mombasa on 30′ March and back to Nairobi on 2′ April.
1. When should/can I book?
2. Can I book and pay online and how? Because I can’t see those dates via *639#
3. What are the bill and business numbers?
4. Which is a direct line/phone number? Because the numbers provided here at times/mostly go unanswered.
5. Do/would children (in this case 3 kids aged 3 years) have a special fare or the tariffs /fares are universal regardless of age?
6. How much would the total economy RETURN fare be (17 pax that’s 14 ADULTS and 3 CHILDREN aged 3 years).
Looking forward to your quick response.
Hey Check out metickets.krc.co.ke you should get all the information on that website
hi, my train leaves tomorrow. i booked a ticket using my passport number but i currently do not have my passport with me. instead, i have my ID. will i still be able to board?
Hi Aidan. did you manage to travel? I have the same problem and am wondering.
Hi,how do i book the madaraka express from voi,cant see the details
go to metickets.krc.co.ke
good morning. The inter county train leaving mombasa what time does it stop in Athi river station. Thank you
Hi. I have mistakenly booked my ticket from Nairobi terminus instead of Mombasa. I want to travel to Nairobi tommorow. How can I change please?
Visit the station with your ID. They can help you if the tickets for the new dates are available.
Hey, I booked to travel from Nairobi on the 7th April 2018 for one person but now we are two is it possible for me to book a seat next to me since the other passenger is a teenager. Been trying all your helpline numbers but no one is picking. How can I get her to get a seat next to mine. Please help.
Help we need to travel to Mombasa on Friday or Saturday 21 of us. can I book all of them – I only see 5 opening
I booked for a realative but for some reasons he can’t travel,can I transfer it now travel myself
Location of athi river terminus
Hey, Here is the location on Google Map. Athi River SGR Station
Hello, is the fare for SGR same for resident and non-residents?
Yes
i want to book sgr from nairobi to mombasa to travel date 13 may how much does it cost?
how much
i need feed if the fares has increased or its still ksh.700 from nairobi to mombasa
Economy Class is Kshs 1000 and First Class is Kshs 3000 go to metickets.krc.co.ke and you will see the respective rates for the intercounty train.
Am to travel on Monday and some issue holding me.how do I get refund?
i erroneously purchased a ticket for two from Mombasa to Nairobi for 1st June instead of Nairobi to Mombasa.How do i cancel the ticket so that someone else can utilize the space.
please advice on how to get the refund as well
Go to the station with your ID. You will be sorted.
How do you book for an obese person who needs 2seats?
I did my booking early this morning, to travel on 20th aug. No receipt yet. Have you officially stopped issuing the online receipt?
I asked my friend to book the sgr seat for me and she used her details…is it okay
I bought 2 tickets for travel to Mombasa tomorrow 23rd August, 2018, but unfortunately I cannot make it due to work situation. Now I am finding it hard to cancel because apparently I have to be there in person which is not possible because I am 300km away. I have asked that my cancellation be effected pending a refund later when I can present myself but this seems to impossible. I have asked to be given the option to push my travel dates forward to a later date and this seems to impossible too! Please help.
Hey! I bought a ticket for Friday 31st morning but I want to change my travel date to Thursday 30th morning. Is it possible to switch and how do I go about it? Thanks
Can I commute with the intercounty SGR train to Mombasa coz I wish to travel in the morning from Nairobi to Mombasa?
i paid twice for the ticket after i realised that the operator had missed my date for leaving which was for 18/10/2018 and not 19/10/2018..how can i get my refund?