EXPLAINED: Why Madaraka Express Economy Coach Still Has Old Chairs
Kenya Railways Corporation has clarified that seat upgrades in the Standard Gauge Railway Coaches for the Economy Class tier are done gradually.
This came after several travelers came forward to raise concerns about why some coaches still have the old chairs, even after the railway corporation announced plans to overhaul all seats in the economy coach in 2024.
In response, Kenya Railways explained that the revamp of the economy-class seats is being carried out gradually, and once the process is complete, travelers will have a streamlined experience in the coaches.
“Hi. The revamping process is being carried out gradually, and eventually all Economy coaches will be upgraded to a similar standard,” Kenya Railways explained.
One of the main concerns raised by passengers over the older economy-class coaches is the face-to-face seating arrangement.
Many are saying that the layout is uncomfortable, particularly on journeys lasting between five and six hours.
“The seat arrangements where travellers sit while facing each other while travelling for five to six hours portray a picture of third-class citizens in the country,” one traveller said.
“I hope you work on a better seat arrangement.”
Beyond the seating layout, some passengers also complained that they were unable to secure the upgraded coaches despite selecting them during the booking process on the Kenya Railways website.
In response, Kenya Railways stated that its seat allocation on the SGR Madaraka Express is determined by its booking algorithm; thus, a traveler is not always guaranteed a preferred seat when booking.
Kenya Railways also explained that seat selection is only available when the entire booking process is done.
This is because once the train has left the station, booking slots become available on their website.
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“Kindly note that for tickets booked online, seat and coach allocation is done by our booking algorithm, and therefore we cannot guarantee allocation of preferred seats,” Kenya Railways stated.
“Seat selection for both Economy and First Class is available when the entire booking process is completed over the counter at any Madaraka Express station.”
These changes come as Kenya Railways has initiated plans to revamp its first-class coaches to mirror the comfort of commercial airlines.
This includes offering extra legroom, fully reclining seats, personal entertainment screens, onboard Wi-Fi, blankets, a specialized dinner service, and enhanced bathing facilities for passengers.
The premium class offers maximum luxury, with electronically adjustable seats that rotate and recline into near-bed-like positions.
This is in addition to wired and wireless charging, premium meals, and priority terminal boarding. One-way adult tickets cost around Ksh12,000.
EXPLAINED: Why Madaraka Express Economy Coach Still Has Old Chairs
