This archive report was first published on 12 September 2021.
Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) experienced a system failure on Sunday, September 12, 2021, affecting online booking services for customers using the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) line.
The system failure meant that travellers could not purchase tickets online or through the USSD payment solution, prompting those booking online services for the Madaraka Express plying the Nairobi-Mombasa route to purchase tickets over the counter at the nearest Madaraka Express Service station.
Efforts to restore normalcy are ongoing, with the corporation apologizing for the inconvenience caused and promising to advise once normal services are restored.
Travellers took to their online platforms to lament the stalled online services, pointing out that they were unable to secure tickets for weekend travelling. They faulted the corporation for the customer care hotline being unreachable and urged them to find a long-lasting solution to curb the issue.
The incident mirrors a case on Thursday, August 5, where travellers were affected after KR experienced another system failure.
The Ksh360 billion SGR project was aimed at providing a fast, reliable mode of transportation and an alternative to road transport, but has accumulated losses due to the effects of the pandemic as well as low uptake by travellers.
