Kenya Railways started a dedicated block train service on 28 October 2026, running from the Port of Mombasa to the Inland Container Depot (ICD) at Embakasi, Nairobi.

The inaugural train, overseen by Principal Secretary for Transport Mohamed Daghar and France’s Ambassador to Kenya Wadid Benaabou, carried 108 twenty‑foot equivalent units (TEUs) in a single run.

Kenya Railways described the launch as a step toward improving connectivity between the port and the hinterland, reinforcing existing SGR and MGR Madaraka Freight operations that handle nine to ten block trains daily.

The service is a joint effort by Kenya Railways, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and shipping line CMA CGM, which will coordinate vessel discharge, container segregation, rail transfer, train scheduling and unloading at Embakasi.

Each CMA CGM block train transports only CMA CGM‑owned containers, with a pre‑allocated block of typically 50 to over 100 TEUs per trip, moving cargo point‑to‑point between coastal terminals and inland hubs.

Kenya Railways has opened the service to importers, exporters, shipping lines and other cargo owners, inviting them to use the dedicated rail freight solution.

The railway partnership also aims to extend market access beyond Nairobi, linking the wider rail and inland logistics network to neighbouring markets such as Uganda, South Sudan, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.