Kenya’s new $3.8 billion China-funded Standard Gauge Railway has been launched with pomp and pageantry as new trains for both passengers and cargo make the first trip from the coastal city of Mombasa to the capital Nairobi.

Image credit: www.capitalfm.co.ke

The 1200 passenger train, named Madaraka Express, is now running the 472 kilometers between the cities of Nairobi and Mombasa.

The train travels at a maximum speed of 120 km per hour and will make stops at 9 newly built stations along the route during the 5-hour journey.

By December, they will offer two services including an intercity service that has one stop, Kenya Railways announced.

40 passenger coaches have been procured with a capacity of 118 travelers for the economy class, 72 for business class, and 44 for first class in the first phase of the project.

The Mombasa-Nairobi railway is the first phase of Kenya’s plan to build a 3,500 km network that will connect the country to Uganda, South Sudan and Ethiopia.

The second phase will extend the line for 120km from Nairobi to Naivasha at a cost of $1.5 billion funded by the Chinese government.

Agreements have already been signed with the China Communications Construction Company to build the other phases that end at Malaba on the Ugandan border.