Madaraka Express

The standard gauge railway opened in 2017 and its passenger service, the Madaraka Express, runs between Nairobi and Mombasa in around six hours, replacing a journey that took most of a day by road or a night on the old metre-gauge line. For travellers the appeal is the middle section: the line crosses Tsavo East and West on viaducts and through underpasses built to let wildlife move beneath, and elephant, giraffe, zebra and antelope are regularly visible from the windows, particularly in the dry season when animals concentrate near water. Trains run daily with first and economy class, seats are assigned, and the stations are new and orderly. Tickets sell out on popular days, especially around holidays, and booking ahead is necessary. The old line and its history, including the Tsavo lion story, sit alongside the new route.

What you actually see

• Tsavo crossings - wildlife visible from the windows through the parks.
• The new stations - Syokimau in Nairobi and Miritini outside Mombasa.
• Viaducts and underpasses - the structures built for animal movement.
• The six-hour run - a comfortable alternative to the Mombasa road.

When to go

Year-round; the dry seasons give better wildlife visibility through Tsavo. Daytime services are the ones worth taking for the scenery. Book several days ahead, and further around public holidays.

Honest expectations

Both terminuses are well outside the city centres, so add transfer time and cost at each end. Windows are fixed and often dirty, so photographs are difficult. Wildlife sightings are brief glimpses at speed, not a game drive. Security screening at stations takes time.

Nearby

Tsavo East and West are the parks the line crosses; Mombasa old town is at the coastal end.