My Experience Traveling To Nairobi From Mombasa Via SGR

In this article, I will share my experience traveling to Nairobi from Mombasa using SGR for the first time.

There are many things you can learn and tips to note if you are planning to travel to Nairobi via the SGR train.

To be honest, I was so excited about this trip because it was my first time using SGR to travel to Nairobi.

It wasn’t my first time to travel to Nairobi. I first visited this beautiful capital city of Kenya 2022 in December.

I don’t know what’s wrong with me, the two times I traveled to Nairobi it was in December, which I don’t recommend you do the same.

You will know why I don’t recommend you visit Nairobi in December.

If you are also thinking of traveling to Mombasa in November or December, you should take caution.

Without wasting time, let me share what you need to know about my second trip to Nairobi for the second time in 2023 December.

Booking SGR train economy class and an Airbnb.

I knew I wanted to travel to Nairobi again for the second time to explore the capital city of Kenya.

This time I was fully prepared since the last time I was there, I didn’t move around a lot — the only place I visited was the CBD and Ruiru Kimbo.

When I decided to travel solo, I was afraid. I had no confidence to explore Nairobi in that year (2022) because it was my first trip.

I traveled to Nairobi from Eldoret since I had the idea that I wanted to be a traveler.

The only way I could have managed to get over the fear of traveling solo for the first time and gain the courage was to travel to Nairobi.

Trust me, Nairobi is very crowded, chaotic, and overwhelming, especially for a guy like me who has never been there it was a tough task for me to get around the city.

I didn’t manage to get around Nairobi as much as I wanted because I had no courage (imagine my first solo trip) and I didn’t have enough money when I went there.

This time I had an intention of exploring the capital city of Kenya since I now had the courage and my wallet was swollen.

And another positive thing is that I was busy pushing my YouTube channel account.

I was already partially monetized, so I was chasing for the 4k watch hours (I was at 3200) watch hours and 1k subscribers (I had 700 subs).

My YouTube channel was growing rapidly back then because I had been busy uploading walking tours of Mombasa City.

I had loyal audiences behind me that motivated me and they were the reason I was courageous enough to plan another trip to Nairobi for the second time.

Enough with the background information.

I booked my SGR ticket online via their official website. I paid Ksh 1500 ($12) for an economy class from Mombasa Terminus to Nairobi Terminus.

This is a bit expensive since the usual price during low seasons is Ksh 1000 ($9). Remember, I was traveling in December when the fares were hiked because so many people were traveling.

So, if you are on a budget, I wouldn’t recommend you travel during this month.

I told you earlier that my wallet was swollen, I didn’t care how much I had to spend as long as I got a train ride for the first time to Nairobi.

When you book your SGR ticket you should expect to receive your ticket number via text.

If you don’t get it, keep your transactional message because you will use that to get your ticket when you are at the Terminus.

I didn’t get the SGR train ticket. The next day I decided to go to the Terminus to get my ticket.

You don’t have to go and get a ticket if you haven’t received one via text.

I had enough time to roam around and get to see Mombasa Terminus at Miritini for the first time.

I didn’t want to get lost on the last day since I didn’t know how to get to the station.

A prior visit to the train station seemed the right thing for me to do.

From Likoni Ferry you can take a taxi to the Terminus which is super easy.

I wanted to save some money, so I had to use a Matatu ( public transport) since taking a taxi would have cost me Ksh 300 ($ 2.5).

It seemed a little bit too much for me.

To get to the Mombasa Terminus, I took a matatu from Likoni Ferry To KFA (around Nawal Center). From KFA I took a matatu to Miritini.

I had to alight at the Miritini stage and took a boda boda (motorcycle) to Terminus.

All that journey to Mombasa Terminus cost me Ksh 180 ($1.3).

This shortcut saved me Ksh 120 ($0.9). It’s not much but it can get you a heavy lunch in the city.

I got to the Terminus, passed through the security where dogs sniff your bags and after that, you pass them via the scanner before you enter the Terminus.

I aimed to get familiar with the place and see the waiting platform before the travel day.

Let me not scare you, you can’t get lost. It will be easier for you to just take a taxi directly from wherever you are to the station if you can afford it.

I went to the ticket machine, on the ground floor. I entered my transactional code on the machine and printed my ticket.

After that, I walked around the station as I was filming a video. Don’t forget to check my YouTube channel (Abduljabbar Ali), I documented the entire trip.

On the same day, I also hunted for an Airbnb early in advance. I knew better than to book everything early in advance so that when I got to Nairobi, I would know where I should head directly.

It also enabled me to budget for my trip to avoid any unnecessary spending of money when I didn’t have to.

It’s always a good idea to book your first stay early in advance so that when you get to your destination you have an idea where you are going.

You will be super tired when you arrive. It won’t be possible for you to explore until you have a good rest and a heavy breakfast.

I booked an Airbnb at Ruiru Kimbo at the same spot I stayed when I first visited Nairobi.

I didn’t book somewhere else because I didn’t want the issue of starting to figure out where my stay was while I was super exhausted.

Getting around Nairobi tends to be tricky especially if you aren’t familiar with the city.

Getting ready for the trip.

I had a window of two days before I left Mombasa.

I wanted to travel earlier but the economy seats on the SGR train were fully booked.

If you are planning to travel ensure that you book earlier in advance — like a week before your traveling date, that way you will get better deals.

Also, ensure that you are traveling on Wednesday and Thursday, you won’t experience a heavy rush during these days.

But it wasn’t the same case for me because I was traveling to Nairobi in December. That’s why I found the train was fully booked.

The preparations I made only involved me packing my carry-on. I took 3 cargo pants, 2 shorts, and 4 t-shirts.

I also took my jacket with me but I didn’t pack it in my suitcase. It could have occupied most space.

During my last day in Mombasa, I bought a new toothbrush and toothpaste.

Inside my carry-on, I also packed a smaller backpack that I planned to use to put anything I’d buy while exploring Nairobi.

Everything was in order. The only thing I was waiting for was the time to start my trip.

During the day I slept a lot. I didn’t film any YouTube videos that day.

Leaving my place for Mombasa Terminus.

I live a little bit far from Likoni Ferry. For me to get to town, I had to take a Ferry ride to Mombasa Island.

To prevent myself from wasting so much time at the Ferry channel waiting for a ferry, I left home earlier.

I started my journey at about 8:00 pm. I had 2 hours to get to the Terminus. This was risky because if I was a little bit late, I could have missed my train.

Before I left home I said farewell to my dad and brother. My father didn’t even have any idea why I was going to Nairobi, but he seemed understanding.

He knew the part of me being a Youtuber. Not that he knew the entire manuscript but he still supported what I did.

Leaving Mombasa at 10 pm.

I arrived at Mombasa Terminus at 9:47 pm. If I had delayed a little bit I could have missed my train.

I wasted so much time at the Ferry channel and while I was also waiting for a matatu to be full before it left for Miritini.

There were fewer people that day on the road. The rule of thumb of a matatu is that you have to wait for it to be full before you start your journey.

So, If you are racing against time, you might end up being late if you made the wrong calculation on time.

I swore that I would never do what I did back then — because I didn’t even have the time to rest when I reached the Mombasa Terminus.

The train was already there. I had to quickly pass through the security hoping that the train doesn’t leave earlier than the allocated time.

On the positive side, there weren’t many people at the entry, so the security checkup didn’t take long.

I still had to put my backpack and suitcase on the plank to be sniffed by the big scary dogs and then passed it through the scanner too.

They can’t be careful enough, right?

I made it inside the Terminus and there were checking out tickets at the entry and showing the travelers the right direction.

Luckily enough I managed to get to the SGR Madaraka Train in time.

I was so confused when I was entering the train to the extent that I forgot where my left hand was.

Before you get onto the train you have to also show again your ticket so that you are directed on which side of the train car you should enter.

I took the wrong route and sat on someone’s else seat thinking it was mine but a few minutes later I realized that I shifted to the right train car.

Now comfortably sitting in on my right seat, policemen were moving inside the train randomly checking the passengers’ tickets.

I don’t know why I was picked to show out my train ticket. Since I didn’t know the rules I was just open to suggestions.

Aj didn’t want to be apprehended for being rude. Not all the people I was around were interested in showing off their tickets.

An old man who was sitting next to me was complaining about this — he said that the men with guns were harassing the passengers.

Do you know why he said that? He was asked to show his ticket twice before the train kicked off.

I could feel why he felt that way. The only thing I was doing was observing and learning.

Let us talk a little bit about the economy class.

It was not exactly as I thought it would be. My first experience was awful.

The seats were all connected — you touch a stranger’s shoulder next to you.

There was a short platform that looked like a table where you could work on the train. But the one who enjoyed using it was the person who was at the window.

In front of me, there was another pair of seats, people sitting looking back at me. We were looking at each other.

The space in between us was little because I remember when I stretched my legs a little bit I stepped on the person in front of me.

This meant I had to fold my legs to avoid this awkward situation.

This is the time I wished that I wouldn’t have booked a train ticket. The bus option seemed pretty comfy for me then.

I had been traveling to Eldoret and Mombasa for the past 3 years via a bus.

Now experiencing the train ride for the first time in an economy class, It wasn’t what I expected at all.

I held myself tight hoped for the best and wished myself journey mercies.

When it reached exactly 10 pm the train started moving. That is when I realized that traveling via the SGR was a good option because it was super first.

The train was moving at a speed of 70km/hr to 90km/hr which was pretty fast compared to the bus.

However, the train didn’t maintain this speed because we were caught by heavy rains when were around Voi.

The train had to go a little bit slow. We were supposed to be at Nairobi CBD at 3 pm but that wasn’t possible because of the heavy rains along the way.

There were people selling coffee, sodas, biscuits, and cakes on the train. It was kinda like a catering company offering this service to the people.

I didn’t buy anything because I was full. I had a heavy supper before I left home. And I was also avoiding the part of me moving to the washroom after every half an hour.

Arriving in Nairobi at 4 am.

At around 3:5 pm we were at the Nairobi Terminus. Everyone was super excited to get out of the train at that point.

I picked up my backpack and my suitcase and got out of the train. Remember I was still filming at that time.

I had to tell my subscribers how the journey was going on. As it was my first time, I was confused.

The Nairobi Terminus was located at Syokimau. What I thought was that after getting off the train I had to take another matatu to Nairobi CBD.

But I saw a group of people moving up the stairs heading to another train. At that time I just followed the crowded confused while holding my go pro vlogging.

I just followed the crowd and entered the next train without having an idea where it was going.

I asked the person sitting next to me where the train was going and if I had to pay again.

“Yeah! You have to pay again, the last stop of this train will be at the Nairobi CBD, but it will surely make other stops before it reaches there. Most of these people you see here are going to the CBD.” This is what I was told by the old man sitting next to me.

I didn’t even ask how much was it, I was ready to pay any price I was told. I thought it would be expensive, but I was only asked to pay Ksh 50 (less than $ 0.5).

You pay and you are given a ticket. I didn’t know why I was given the ticket. I didn’t experience this when I was in Mombasa.

I held on to the ticket and knew it might be needed somewhere and I was right.

When we alighted at Nairobi CBD at 4:12 pm we had to pass through a checkpoint where we showed the tickets to get out of the train station.

I saw some people who stood there explaining that they lost their tickets. They weren’t allowed to pass by the security that was at the exit point.

I felt sorry for them, I rolled my suitcase with confidence as I walked out of the train station.

Deep inside I was screaming, “I made it to Nairobi Baby!”

Getting around Nairobi and pushing time.

It was so chilly and wet. It had been raining and there were still some drizzles. Luckily enough I had my rain jacket with me.

Looking at the time on my phone it was about 4:23 pm. It was damn too early to check in my Airbnb.

I knew I had to push time around the CBD before I could start my journey to Ruiru.

Luckily enough for me, the drizzle stopped, and the city didn’t seem as strange to me as it was first.

Now I was familiar with the streets and I could easily move around.

This time I had to put the camera in my pocket. I was holding my phone while checking out the Google Maps, it turned out I wasn’t too familiar.

Nairobi is known for its overcrowded streets, best pickpocketers, and petty theft cases. I was vigilant while moving around.

When traveling alone in a big city like Nairobi, it doesn’t hurt to be cautious. Don’t let your gut down and think that everyone you see in the streets is a good person.

I started roaming around the city checking out the tall skyscrapers in the capital city of Kenya.

It felt super exciting and thrilling to be in Nairobi for the second time in my life.

I couldn’t wait for the sun to come out to start exploring the city before I could get to my Airbnb.

Other parts of the streets were muddy since it had been raining. I regretted putting on my white pair of shoes.

I tried to be careful not to make them dirty, until I got tired and decided that whatever happens let it be.

The entire streets were muddy. Too bad I had white socks too. I didn’t mind, I was too happy to see Nairobi again.

At this time the businesses in the city were already opened. You could say that people don’t sleep at all in the city.

The streets were already crowded. Everyone moving about here and there.

I got lost in the chaos and rush of the streets as I was moving around until the sun started coming out.

That’s when I finally started vlogging again. It was pretty challenging at first but I got the hang of it.

People were staring at me but the good thing is that they minded their businesses.

I found my way to Nairobi archives, took the liberty to sit around, and looked at the big screens showing different commercial ads.

When it was about 8 am I called my host and told her that I wanted to check into my Airbnb, she told me that it wasn’t a problem but there was another traveller.

She told me that I had to wait for her to prepare the room for me to check in at 10 am which was the check-in time.

But the last time I was there, I checked in earlier than that because the room I booked was empty.

This meant I had to still stroll the CBD, get myself familiar with the streets, and find something to eat before I went to Ruiru.

The breakfast couldn’t wait. I was starving. I found a spot around NRG Plaza just close to the Post Office.

It was my first time trying Uji Power, porridge believed to increase the male sex drive. I was down for it not for the sex drive but to get rid of my hunger.

Taking a shuttle to Ruiru Kimbo.

I got lost in the beauty of the city. I checked the time and it was about 11:32 am. I knew it was time to start my journey to my Airbnb.

Ruiru is a little bit far from the CBD. I had to spend Ksh 50 to get a shuttle to head to Ruiru Kimbo.

I knew where my Airbnb was so It wasn’t a problem to get there. I knew I had to alight at Spur Mall and just walk a little bit and just before I knew it, viola! I was in my beautiful cozy room.

Lastly…

This is my experience traveling to Nairobi for the second time.

I had to write this down for those who don’t know how the journey is from Mombasa to Nairobi.

It’s just exciting and thrilling if you like traveling the way I do.

You can watch the video on my YouTube channel (Abduljabbar Ali), and you will see raw footage of my entire trip.

I hope you have enjoyed and learned a few tips from this article. Happy exploration out there.