Kenya Railways has announced operations for a new railway link from the city centre to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
In a statement, the rail operator said that air travellers would now be able to avoid the traffic jam along Mombasa Road. In the plan, passengers will be dropped at the Embakasi Railway Station from where a courtesy bus will pick and ferry them to the airport. The bus will use Airport South Road, which has previously been closed to regular traffic as part of airport security enhancement.
The link is part of the Nairobi Commuter Rail Service that recently commissioned Diesel Multiple Units to ferry passengers to and fro the city and its environs.
It is however not clear if passengers will opt to use the new service given that it is not a direct link to the airport. The frequency of the train may also not be in sync with departures at JKIA. In addition, the service does not seem to cater for passengers originating from other directions besides the city centre.