Kenya Railways has moved to clear up widespread confusion among commuters over the actual difference between the Meter Gauge Railway (MGR) and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The two networks, though both run under the same corporation, are built on completely different track widths and serve different purposes across the country.

The key difference between the two is that MGR trains run on a narrower track measuring one metre wide, while SGR trains use a wider track measuring 1.435 metres.

This difference in width is exactly why an MGR train cannot simply switch onto SGR tracks, or the other way round, without special equipment.

📌 What You Need to Know

Kenya Railways explained that MGR refers to the country’s older railway network, the Kenya-Uganda Railway, which was built between 1896 and 1901 and has served generations of travellers for decades.

SGR, on the other hand, is the newer system, purpose-built for speed and designed to move both people and cargo faster across the country.

Another key difference is that the MGR stretches an impressive 2,046 kilometres across Kenya, dwarfing its younger counterpart, SGR, in sheer coverage.

The MGR links major towns such as Nyahururu, Kisumu, Nanyuki and Malaba, connecting communities that have relied on rail transport for years.

One standout example is the Nanyuki MGR line that was rehabilitated recently, which was recently rehabilitated, covering 755 kilometres from Shimanzi in Mombasa.

The Kisumu MGR line has also been restored, reconnecting central and western Kenya to the Port of Kisumu to support regional lake trade.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke