Ways you can make your SGR ticket booking

Have you found yourself asking what are the SGR booking options? When the SGR train was introduced in 2018, it was not easy to make a booking remotely. You had to visit the Syokimau station or any other sub-station physically to get a ticket or else find an alternative way to travel.

Many travelers were forced to use matatus that would take almost an entire night or day to get to Mombasa from Nairobi. Those who wanted a faster means of transport to Mombasa would either send someone to buy them a ticket or use a flight.

I remember a friend who wanted to travel from Nairobi to Mombasa back in 2018 had to ask me to go and buy him and his wife tickets. That time, you could buy tickets up to a week in advance. However, this process was very restrictive and made a lot of travelers miss the SGR train.

Thanks to KRC and technology, you can now buy your SGR ticket from anywhere.

The 3 remote SGR ticket booking options

Here are the various ways to buy an SGR ticket remotely:

1. SGR ticket booking USSD. Load up your Safaricom line with airtime and dial the USSD *639#. Follow prompts. This is the fastest way to book an SGR ticket remotely.
2. Metickets online SGR booking website. Visit https://metickets.krc.co.ke/ and enter your details.
3. Phone call. This is the SGR customer care number. This may take a while before going through, but dialing 0709 388 888 is another way to book an SGR ticket without being physically present.

SGR ticket booking requirements

In order to complete your booking, you need to be equipped with this information:

• Full names of the persons traveling. These are the official names in the identification document. If you use the wrong name to make a booking, you will be forced to cancel the ticket and buy a new one, subject to availability and other SGR cancelation terms. Ticket cancelation costs 30 percent of the original ticket price.
• Age and identification documents of the travelers. For adults, you can use national ID card or Passport number. For children, you will need the birth certificate number. The document you register with is the same you present at the gate before departure. You will not be allowed to travel with your passport if you used your ID card to book.
• Enough MPesa balance to cover the SGR ticket price. The three methods mentioned above require you to pay via MPesa. It is therefore advisable to load up enough money to take care of your SGR ticket price before making the booking. You will have very limited time to make your payment.
• Point of departure and destination. The point of departure is where you will be starting the journey from. If the traveler is in Nairobi, the point of departure will be Nairobi. If you are in Nairobi and booking for someone in Mombasa, the point of departure will be Mombasa. The destination is where the traveler is going. If you are in Nairobi, your destination can either be Mombasa of the other sub-stations between Nairobi and Mombasa. If you are booking a round trip, you must book twice as the online booking system is one-way. In case you find this complicated, get in touch and I can help with the process at a small fee.

Once you complete the online SGR ticket booking process, remember to carry your ticket/booking number to the station either before or on the day of travel. You need to print your SGR ticket in order to be allowed to board. For a round trip, you will need to print your two tickets according to your previous bookings.