The Kenya Railways Corporation has announced it will reopen the Gilgil-Nyahururu line next month to boost freight transport in the Rift Valley. The 78-kilometre route is set to resume operations within weeks following rehabilitation efforts that began in 2020.
Kenya Railways made the announcement after a meeting with Bamburi Group on May 20. The discussion focused on shifting cement and clinker shipments from road to rail to increase cargo volumes.
Rehabilitation of the line started in August 2020 in partnership with Nyandarua and Nakuru county governments. The route had been out of service since the late 1970s and early 1980s following the collapse of the East African Railways Corporation.
The move forms part of wider government efforts to revive meter gauge lines. Other projects include upgrades to the Nairobi Commuter Rail network and the Voi-Taveta branch.