Lunatic Line
Lunatic Line
3
About
This railway, built in 1898 and dubbed the "Lunatic Line," divides Tsavo National Park into East and West. This is where several lions,the "Maneaters of Tsavo," devoured 140 railway workers before Lt. Col Patterson managed to kill them. The film 'The Ghost and the Darkness', was based on Patterson's story.
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Sander F
Rotterdam, The Netherlands15 contributions
Aug 2012 • Couples
Nevermind the nay-sayers, this experience is akin to a trip to India: you have to do it at least once.
True, the state of the train probably hasn't changed much since the 1960s, and yes, you can expect delays and a few safety issues - but don't let that put you off 14 to 24 hours of historical experience.
Some have already commented on the history of the line so I won't go in to detail, but suffice to say that it is the entire reason for Kenya's existence in the first place! For an amazing account of its formation - one that will make the journey more exciting - read Charles Miller's The Lunatic Express. Highly recommended in fact for anyone visiting East Africa.
Back to my/our Lunatic Line experience. We took the train from Nairobi to Mombasa in early August 2012. Below is a general categorized description of various aspects of the journey as experienced by us during this time.
TIMELINESS
Our train was delayed at the Nairobi station for two hours, meaning it departed at 21:00 instead of at 19:00. The reason given by friendly staff was that they were waiting for new locomotives to be attached. This was not an issue for us since the station itself has reasonable toilet facilities, a bar, and a kiosk selling sodas and snacks. We had heard from expats stationed in Nairobi that the train was likely to be delayed at least once and even from one elderly couple who loved it that it never arrived in Mombasa at all (but that taxis were available at the impromptu terminus). So it is not surprising that when you buy your ticket and ask how long the journey will take they say "anywhere between 14 and 19 hours". If you board the train with this expectation, and therefore make sure that you have the next day freely planned without time pressures, then you shouldn't be peeved by these occurrences.
CONVENIENCE
In light of the above, it is certainly faster to travel by plane or road to Mombasa from Nairobi. However, bear in mind that there are different safety risks involved with either alternative; travel by road in bus or matatu is definitely more risky to you and your belongings and the Tripadvisor reviews of air travel between the two cities is not very encouraging (though it's undeniably safer and faster). In terms of booking, it is highly recommended to book in advance when traveling in high season; our train was fully booked in first class and we were lucky to have gotten our tickets 4 days in advance. To make the reservation, you have to go to the Nairobi station and buy them as there is no phone or online booking service as yet. First class is Ksh 4000 - cheaper than flying but more expensive than by road. Keep in mind that the train alternates daily between Nairobi and Mombasa. There should be no real hassles if traveling with children as many of the first class passengers were families.
COMFORT
Actually, the comfort of the first class cabins is pleasantly surprising. The cabin has a very small closet (unlockable), two berths, and a small (working) sink. It even has a drinking water dispenser though we did not want to test the quality of the water. The doors are lockable from the inside only. There are also two settings for lighting, one harsher and one calmer. Mosquito netting on the windows was in our cabin unbroken. While the seats and furnishings are clearly worn, the cleanliness is quite reasonable and above expectations (certainly MUCH cleaner than any Indian Railway first class cabin). At some point, a friendly staff member knocks on your door to prepare your beds and proceeds to open two rucksacks with clean sheets and pillows.
Dinner is served in two rounds (for which you elect when checking in), and we chose the second seating which meant that our beds were made while we were in the room. Dinner itself is a fun spectacle when the train is moving. The food is basic but filling and we heard of no gastronomical issues during the journey. Bottled drinks are extra. Breakfast is served between 6AM and 9AM and you can go when you like but its best to go as early as possible to avoid crowds and to enjoy the sunrise which is spectacular - due to our delay we were able to see the sunrise while passing through Tsavo National Park and enjoyed our breakfast looking at passing vistas of roaming elephants.
Finally, the toilets are completely made of some type of metal for easy cleaning which they actually did every 3 to 4 hours. This meant that the few times we went were not unpleasant. Bring your own toilet paper as none or not enough is provided.
Eventually we went to bed which was surprisingly comfortable although only heavy sleepers will be able to rest. The movement of the train and the noise is not conducive to rest for light sleepers like myself!
SAFETY
Travelers will always be concerned about safety but simple precautions go a long way to ensuring an enjoyable experience.
First, pack your most expensive belongings in one small bag and take it with you to dinner or whenever both of you are outside of the cabin. The staff tell you to lock your window before sleeping to avoid 'long arms' from reaching in at the stations along the way. Lock the cabin door when you're inside.
Second, choose the second dinner round as it will be more likely that the staff make your beds while you're in the cabin and not eating in the restaurant car.
Third, in terms of personal safety, there is no danger of falling out of the top bunk as they have a canvas restraint that clicks in to place to stop you from rolling out. The only seemingly dangerous part of the trip is the movement of the train which when lying down can seem 'lunatic'!
VALUE
Overall, the experience was a lot of fun, and much more pleasant than expected. We found the trip very enjoyable, particularly since the delay enabled us to enjoy a wonderful sunrise breakfast through the Tsavo National Park. Although I may not have slept much, it was nevertheless a worthwhile experience and I'm glad we chose it over the more risky or less enjoyable alternatives. The key is to take the necessary precautions and start the journey with the right mindset. Then, you're sure to have a memorable and pleasurable experience.
True, the state of the train probably hasn't changed much since the 1960s, and yes, you can expect delays and a few safety issues - but don't let that put you off 14 to 24 hours of historical experience.
Some have already commented on the history of the line so I won't go in to detail, but suffice to say that it is the entire reason for Kenya's existence in the first place! For an amazing account of its formation - one that will make the journey more exciting - read Charles Miller's The Lunatic Express. Highly recommended in fact for anyone visiting East Africa.
Back to my/our Lunatic Line experience. We took the train from Nairobi to Mombasa in early August 2012. Below is a general categorized description of various aspects of the journey as experienced by us during this time.
TIMELINESS
Our train was delayed at the Nairobi station for two hours, meaning it departed at 21:00 instead of at 19:00. The reason given by friendly staff was that they were waiting for new locomotives to be attached. This was not an issue for us since the station itself has reasonable toilet facilities, a bar, and a kiosk selling sodas and snacks. We had heard from expats stationed in Nairobi that the train was likely to be delayed at least once and even from one elderly couple who loved it that it never arrived in Mombasa at all (but that taxis were available at the impromptu terminus). So it is not surprising that when you buy your ticket and ask how long the journey will take they say "anywhere between 14 and 19 hours". If you board the train with this expectation, and therefore make sure that you have the next day freely planned without time pressures, then you shouldn't be peeved by these occurrences.
CONVENIENCE
In light of the above, it is certainly faster to travel by plane or road to Mombasa from Nairobi. However, bear in mind that there are different safety risks involved with either alternative; travel by road in bus or matatu is definitely more risky to you and your belongings and the Tripadvisor reviews of air travel between the two cities is not very encouraging (though it's undeniably safer and faster). In terms of booking, it is highly recommended to book in advance when traveling in high season; our train was fully booked in first class and we were lucky to have gotten our tickets 4 days in advance. To make the reservation, you have to go to the Nairobi station and buy them as there is no phone or online booking service as yet. First class is Ksh 4000 - cheaper than flying but more expensive than by road. Keep in mind that the train alternates daily between Nairobi and Mombasa. There should be no real hassles if traveling with children as many of the first class passengers were families.
COMFORT
Actually, the comfort of the first class cabins is pleasantly surprising. The cabin has a very small closet (unlockable), two berths, and a small (working) sink. It even has a drinking water dispenser though we did not want to test the quality of the water. The doors are lockable from the inside only. There are also two settings for lighting, one harsher and one calmer. Mosquito netting on the windows was in our cabin unbroken. While the seats and furnishings are clearly worn, the cleanliness is quite reasonable and above expectations (certainly MUCH cleaner than any Indian Railway first class cabin). At some point, a friendly staff member knocks on your door to prepare your beds and proceeds to open two rucksacks with clean sheets and pillows.
Dinner is served in two rounds (for which you elect when checking in), and we chose the second seating which meant that our beds were made while we were in the room. Dinner itself is a fun spectacle when the train is moving. The food is basic but filling and we heard of no gastronomical issues during the journey. Bottled drinks are extra. Breakfast is served between 6AM and 9AM and you can go when you like but its best to go as early as possible to avoid crowds and to enjoy the sunrise which is spectacular - due to our delay we were able to see the sunrise while passing through Tsavo National Park and enjoyed our breakfast looking at passing vistas of roaming elephants.
Finally, the toilets are completely made of some type of metal for easy cleaning which they actually did every 3 to 4 hours. This meant that the few times we went were not unpleasant. Bring your own toilet paper as none or not enough is provided.
Eventually we went to bed which was surprisingly comfortable although only heavy sleepers will be able to rest. The movement of the train and the noise is not conducive to rest for light sleepers like myself!
SAFETY
Travelers will always be concerned about safety but simple precautions go a long way to ensuring an enjoyable experience.
First, pack your most expensive belongings in one small bag and take it with you to dinner or whenever both of you are outside of the cabin. The staff tell you to lock your window before sleeping to avoid 'long arms' from reaching in at the stations along the way. Lock the cabin door when you're inside.
Second, choose the second dinner round as it will be more likely that the staff make your beds while you're in the cabin and not eating in the restaurant car.
Third, in terms of personal safety, there is no danger of falling out of the top bunk as they have a canvas restraint that clicks in to place to stop you from rolling out. The only seemingly dangerous part of the trip is the movement of the train which when lying down can seem 'lunatic'!
VALUE
Overall, the experience was a lot of fun, and much more pleasant than expected. We found the trip very enjoyable, particularly since the delay enabled us to enjoy a wonderful sunrise breakfast through the Tsavo National Park. Although I may not have slept much, it was nevertheless a worthwhile experience and I'm glad we chose it over the more risky or less enjoyable alternatives. The key is to take the necessary precautions and start the journey with the right mindset. Then, you're sure to have a memorable and pleasurable experience.
Written 29 August 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CharlieCentral
Darlington, UK282 contributions
Mar 2013 • Friends
Anyone considering travelling on this journey HAS to remember that it is an African train, built a long, long time ago.. If you're looking for luxury, this is not it. If you're looking for an authentic, slightly erratic but amazing experience, this is for you.
A friend and I travelled on the Lunatic Line from Nairobi to Mombasa, and then returned on the train again a week later.
We paid for the 'first class' tickets in a twin bunk room, after being advised that anything else is either standing room only, or a wooden bench. Our room had two old battered but clean ish looking bunks, an a joining door to next door (with locks on both sides) a mini wardrobe and sink. It was very basic but met our needs. Your meal in included (think basic budget street food) and while you're at the dinner cart staff make you're beds up in your room.
Journey to Mombasa:
Highlights - Watching the sun set and seeing wild elephants, meeting people in the dinner cart who we wouldn't have spoken too if we'd not be sat with them, the general 'this is an adventure' feeling.. albeit a very very budget adventure!
Not so good points: Toilets are literally a hole in the ground, and the train is quite rickety, so they get... messy. wear trousers you can very easily role up, or better still, shorts. (I learnt this the hard way). The train corridors are *very* narrow, which if you're the furthest from the dinner cart = bruised shoulders from bumping off doors/windows.
Security leaves a lot to the imagination - we were told to not leave anything ion our room of value when going out of it - we were lucky, but the people in the room next to use weren't. someone climbed in their bedroom window during the night (staff, maybe?) and stole their cameras, money, passport, etc - This was awful for them, and a horrible experience I'm sure, however they had been very loud, drinking LOTS of vodka publicly and drawing a lot of attention to themselves. I can't help but wonder if they were targeted because the their knew when they went to bed, they'd be pretty much knocked out from the booze - We concluded - make friends, chat, be fun, but not in a way that draws attention to yourself or your belongings. Thats probably pretty sound advice for anywhere in Africa.. and elsewhere. At one point, the train stopped and some police got on with AK47's, that was... interesting. They were supposedly searching for the thief.. We just stayed in our room, and they didn't bother us, or anyone else that Im aware of.
Mobassa to Nairobi -
The train broke down for about 7 hours, just outside a very remote African town. The villagers were all delighted when a train full of people walked into their town asking where we could buy water, food etc (coincidence?!). We were lucky in the sense that we had no set forward plans, so it wasn't too bad to be delayed, especially as the scenery was spectacular, but I know some other people ended up missing flights etc. We ended up being on the train for about 24 hours.. it wasn;t too bad though, seemed like an adventure at the time. Though in hindsight, I did have a good book too.
All along the journey you are travelling through remote tribes/villages - the children, and often parents, stand at the side of the tracks begging for sweets and money. This gets a bit monotonous after a while - its sad to see the parents actively encourage or force their children to do this, but, I suppose all kids wants sweets.. and you go to survive somehow.
General tips:
Dont leave your stuff
Beware of the toilets
Take nibbles because if you get stick you'll want them!
Have fun and go with it!
Try not to draw too much attention to yourself
This review sounds less than positive - I've been honest - but all in all, I love it. I'd do it again some day if I return!
A friend and I travelled on the Lunatic Line from Nairobi to Mombasa, and then returned on the train again a week later.
We paid for the 'first class' tickets in a twin bunk room, after being advised that anything else is either standing room only, or a wooden bench. Our room had two old battered but clean ish looking bunks, an a joining door to next door (with locks on both sides) a mini wardrobe and sink. It was very basic but met our needs. Your meal in included (think basic budget street food) and while you're at the dinner cart staff make you're beds up in your room.
Journey to Mombasa:
Highlights - Watching the sun set and seeing wild elephants, meeting people in the dinner cart who we wouldn't have spoken too if we'd not be sat with them, the general 'this is an adventure' feeling.. albeit a very very budget adventure!
Not so good points: Toilets are literally a hole in the ground, and the train is quite rickety, so they get... messy. wear trousers you can very easily role up, or better still, shorts. (I learnt this the hard way). The train corridors are *very* narrow, which if you're the furthest from the dinner cart = bruised shoulders from bumping off doors/windows.
Security leaves a lot to the imagination - we were told to not leave anything ion our room of value when going out of it - we were lucky, but the people in the room next to use weren't. someone climbed in their bedroom window during the night (staff, maybe?) and stole their cameras, money, passport, etc - This was awful for them, and a horrible experience I'm sure, however they had been very loud, drinking LOTS of vodka publicly and drawing a lot of attention to themselves. I can't help but wonder if they were targeted because the their knew when they went to bed, they'd be pretty much knocked out from the booze - We concluded - make friends, chat, be fun, but not in a way that draws attention to yourself or your belongings. Thats probably pretty sound advice for anywhere in Africa.. and elsewhere. At one point, the train stopped and some police got on with AK47's, that was... interesting. They were supposedly searching for the thief.. We just stayed in our room, and they didn't bother us, or anyone else that Im aware of.
Mobassa to Nairobi -
The train broke down for about 7 hours, just outside a very remote African town. The villagers were all delighted when a train full of people walked into their town asking where we could buy water, food etc (coincidence?!). We were lucky in the sense that we had no set forward plans, so it wasn't too bad to be delayed, especially as the scenery was spectacular, but I know some other people ended up missing flights etc. We ended up being on the train for about 24 hours.. it wasn;t too bad though, seemed like an adventure at the time. Though in hindsight, I did have a good book too.
All along the journey you are travelling through remote tribes/villages - the children, and often parents, stand at the side of the tracks begging for sweets and money. This gets a bit monotonous after a while - its sad to see the parents actively encourage or force their children to do this, but, I suppose all kids wants sweets.. and you go to survive somehow.
General tips:
Dont leave your stuff
Beware of the toilets
Take nibbles because if you get stick you'll want them!
Have fun and go with it!
Try not to draw too much attention to yourself
This review sounds less than positive - I've been honest - but all in all, I love it. I'd do it again some day if I return!
Written 23 February 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Clarinda
Edinburgh, Scotland16 contributions
Feb 2013 • Couples
My husband and I often use the trains whilst in India so we thought it would be interesting to try the overnight sleeper from Nairobi to Mombassa. We reserved and paid for our sleeper over the Internet and had the tickets delivered to our hotel in Nairobi. We were delivered to the station, checked in and organised our meal tickets. We opted for the first sitting. There is a bar and platform sitting area where you can sip your cool beer and watch the trains and passengers arrive and depart. The trains and carriages can only be described as well used. The ladies toilet was locked but you could request the key from the bar. Our train eventually arrived and we boarded without difficulty although it took us a little while to decide which was our carriage. The train was certainly not new and the carriages were of a bygone era. The passage way is very narrow as is the standing area in your compartment but the bunks were roomy but very dusty. I used several wipes and paper towels to clean ours. They were not unclean just very grimey. It was first class travel circa the 1950s. Our biggest problem was trying to get the lights to work. The electrics were just as dodgy in the loo when you would be plunged into darkness. It is not easy taking a tinkle in the pitch dark, hovering over a French style toilet in a moving train. I noticed that those in the know were wearing head torches. Toilet paper is provided but best to supply your own. Meal time was fun. We shared a table with two young men and we all had just enough elbow room. Dinner consisted of three courses and tea or coffee. Beer, etc. could be purchased at the table. The food was okay but some of the crockery was a bit chipped. Breakfast was the usual sausage, egg and beans, toast, butter and jam, tea or coffee. The bedding was fresh and the staff were helpful and cheerful. Our train left on time and arrived on time. Would we do it again? No, but it was a fun part of our holiday. We returned to Nairobi by car which was much faster.
Written 9 June 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
295aliced
Schonefeld, Germany17 contributions
Feb 2015 • Friends
Near the end of February 2015, a group of friends and I decided to “go on an adventure” by taking the train from Nairobi to Mombasa for a weekend trip to Diani Beach. You may be thinking about a similar trip, my suggestion is that you read the ensuing 2 part series about our trip and then reassess that mad thought you just had.
Let’s start with what we were told, the information and assumptions on which we based the decision to book a ticket on the so called “train”.
1. The train was to leave at 7pm on Friday and arrive at 10am on Saturday was to be conducted by a normal human being, with a soul
2. The train was comfortable (I don’t even pretend to think that I thought the train was luxurious)
Now moving onto the facts…
Part 1: Deception on a train.
The train did not leave at 7pm. We braved the Nairobi traffic to make the 7pm departure time, enduring a head on collision with a bus and enduring an excruciatingly painful experience with the world’s most inept traffic policeman. And we made it. Against all odds. We entered the station elated, how quaint, how lovely!, and here is where the great deception begins.
Deception point 1: time of departure:
Upon our arrival at the station, the departure time was revised to 9pm. Fine, 2 hour delay, such things happen we thought. We bided this time wisely, getting dinner in town. Upon our return at 9pm, the platform was still mysteriously empty and the time was revised to 11pm. Now we spend our time drinking in town. Upon our return at 11pm the train was still conspicuous by its absence, but our spirits were now high. We purchased some box wine and some cigarettes from the “station restaurant”, both of which were not high quality, in fact both of which I think were mostly poison. We were delighted at around 12:00 when the train coming rolling in, if we were somewhat concerned by the fact that the train could be described with words such as “rickety”, “dangerous looking” and “awfully colourful” we did not show it. We were upbeat, we were travellers, we were going on an adventure. We were Bilbo Baggins.
At around 1am this feeling began to fade. One of my fellow travellers made the observation that if we had left Nairobi by car at the time the train was supposed to leave; we would be in Diani beach already. Prudent observation but nonetheless infuriating. We also expected our arrival time to now be 6 hours later (at 4pm) which wasn’t the best, considering we only had a weekend in Diani. The decision was made- we would disembark and travel by car in the morning.
Deception point 2: the great train break of 2015
We politely asked the captain when the train would depart. He was non-committal. We requested our 75 dollars back, and surprisingly he acquiesced. However, to cut a long story short he basically then drove (do you drive trains?) the train about 2 km down the drag meaning we couldn’t disembark without launching ourselves out onto the tracks in the middle of Nairobi at 2am. The full staff of the train was in on the ruse. Well played Captain and your minions, well played. We tried some more train breaking procedures but in the end, when I saw a friend slump to floor and mumble, “this is our life now” I knew there was no escape, we would take the train to Mombasa.
Deception point 3: Travel time
Things that take less time than travelling to Mombasa from Nairobi via train
1. A return trip to the moon
2. A non-stop flight around the world
3. The great trek
4. Rolly-pollying all the way to Mombasa from Nairobi
We arrived in Mombasa at midnight. 29 hours after our expected time of departure. That’s all I’ve got to say about that.
Part 2: The finer things in life
I wasn’t expecting luxury, but what I was confronted with was abysmal. Four observation points
1. Hot hot hot
There are approximately one bajillion fans in the train. Of these, exactly zero work. The train is a mobile oven. At first my fellow travellers and I showed a decent amount of concern about the fact that we were quite sweaty and potentially odiferous. By about the 15th hour all semblance of concern was gone and I sat drenched in sweat, pools of it accumulating, nay splashing, about my feet. Sodden.
2. The view from here
I know what you are thinking... “yeah, but you probably saw some pretty neat-o things during that 30 hour trip!”. Wrong son, I did not. The current state of things is that there is a new rail being built alongside the Lunatic Line. I saw dust. I saw big machines. I saw industrialization. Which I guess is pretty interesting, unless you are slowly being sous vide in your own sweat and you can’t open the windows which have been fastened since 1976.
3. Dining like a King
If you were a king that was fond of stewed cabbage and rice.
4. The facilities
Are you a person that needs to urinate during the course of 30 hours? Well then I suggest you skip the train. The endearingly named “Choo Loo” is a hole in the ground splashed about with the urine of your fellow travellers. I don’t even blame them, the misfiring fellow travellers - the train’s gait reminds me of the spasmodic dancing of a man who only has one leg and is being electrocuted concurrently. It lurches. Carriages smash into one another. Two good news points here, first, you may sweat so much that you have no need for the Choo Loo, two the train is only moving at 3 meters an hour which means you are unlikely to become seriously injured as the carriages ram into each other. Hooray
Well folks that’s about it. In the interests of fairness I will also include all the good points about the train
1. I read. A lot. Proper books, none of that kindle nonsense, there is no electricity.
2. At some point I woke up, drenched in sweat, hair plastered to my face, as the train lurched wildly around a corner, and I thought “is this the train to hell”. Then I came to and realized it was just the train to Mombasa, but it feels like that could have been a valuable moment of Dante-esque introspection, and I appreciate that.
3. Bonding time. Nothing breaks down barriers like salty salty sweat and forced hours of conversation
4. Arrival is sensational. I’ve never had such a good day on the beach. I imagine this is what prisoners feel like on their first day out and about after years of incarceration.
5. The tale. If you decide to brave it after reading this, well, you are insane and I hope to never meet you in a dark secluded place, but then again one day you’ll have a great story to tell.
Bon Voyage.
Let’s start with what we were told, the information and assumptions on which we based the decision to book a ticket on the so called “train”.
1. The train was to leave at 7pm on Friday and arrive at 10am on Saturday was to be conducted by a normal human being, with a soul
2. The train was comfortable (I don’t even pretend to think that I thought the train was luxurious)
Now moving onto the facts…
Part 1: Deception on a train.
The train did not leave at 7pm. We braved the Nairobi traffic to make the 7pm departure time, enduring a head on collision with a bus and enduring an excruciatingly painful experience with the world’s most inept traffic policeman. And we made it. Against all odds. We entered the station elated, how quaint, how lovely!, and here is where the great deception begins.
Deception point 1: time of departure:
Upon our arrival at the station, the departure time was revised to 9pm. Fine, 2 hour delay, such things happen we thought. We bided this time wisely, getting dinner in town. Upon our return at 9pm, the platform was still mysteriously empty and the time was revised to 11pm. Now we spend our time drinking in town. Upon our return at 11pm the train was still conspicuous by its absence, but our spirits were now high. We purchased some box wine and some cigarettes from the “station restaurant”, both of which were not high quality, in fact both of which I think were mostly poison. We were delighted at around 12:00 when the train coming rolling in, if we were somewhat concerned by the fact that the train could be described with words such as “rickety”, “dangerous looking” and “awfully colourful” we did not show it. We were upbeat, we were travellers, we were going on an adventure. We were Bilbo Baggins.
At around 1am this feeling began to fade. One of my fellow travellers made the observation that if we had left Nairobi by car at the time the train was supposed to leave; we would be in Diani beach already. Prudent observation but nonetheless infuriating. We also expected our arrival time to now be 6 hours later (at 4pm) which wasn’t the best, considering we only had a weekend in Diani. The decision was made- we would disembark and travel by car in the morning.
Deception point 2: the great train break of 2015
We politely asked the captain when the train would depart. He was non-committal. We requested our 75 dollars back, and surprisingly he acquiesced. However, to cut a long story short he basically then drove (do you drive trains?) the train about 2 km down the drag meaning we couldn’t disembark without launching ourselves out onto the tracks in the middle of Nairobi at 2am. The full staff of the train was in on the ruse. Well played Captain and your minions, well played. We tried some more train breaking procedures but in the end, when I saw a friend slump to floor and mumble, “this is our life now” I knew there was no escape, we would take the train to Mombasa.
Deception point 3: Travel time
Things that take less time than travelling to Mombasa from Nairobi via train
1. A return trip to the moon
2. A non-stop flight around the world
3. The great trek
4. Rolly-pollying all the way to Mombasa from Nairobi
We arrived in Mombasa at midnight. 29 hours after our expected time of departure. That’s all I’ve got to say about that.
Part 2: The finer things in life
I wasn’t expecting luxury, but what I was confronted with was abysmal. Four observation points
1. Hot hot hot
There are approximately one bajillion fans in the train. Of these, exactly zero work. The train is a mobile oven. At first my fellow travellers and I showed a decent amount of concern about the fact that we were quite sweaty and potentially odiferous. By about the 15th hour all semblance of concern was gone and I sat drenched in sweat, pools of it accumulating, nay splashing, about my feet. Sodden.
2. The view from here
I know what you are thinking... “yeah, but you probably saw some pretty neat-o things during that 30 hour trip!”. Wrong son, I did not. The current state of things is that there is a new rail being built alongside the Lunatic Line. I saw dust. I saw big machines. I saw industrialization. Which I guess is pretty interesting, unless you are slowly being sous vide in your own sweat and you can’t open the windows which have been fastened since 1976.
3. Dining like a King
If you were a king that was fond of stewed cabbage and rice.
4. The facilities
Are you a person that needs to urinate during the course of 30 hours? Well then I suggest you skip the train. The endearingly named “Choo Loo” is a hole in the ground splashed about with the urine of your fellow travellers. I don’t even blame them, the misfiring fellow travellers - the train’s gait reminds me of the spasmodic dancing of a man who only has one leg and is being electrocuted concurrently. It lurches. Carriages smash into one another. Two good news points here, first, you may sweat so much that you have no need for the Choo Loo, two the train is only moving at 3 meters an hour which means you are unlikely to become seriously injured as the carriages ram into each other. Hooray
Well folks that’s about it. In the interests of fairness I will also include all the good points about the train
1. I read. A lot. Proper books, none of that kindle nonsense, there is no electricity.
2. At some point I woke up, drenched in sweat, hair plastered to my face, as the train lurched wildly around a corner, and I thought “is this the train to hell”. Then I came to and realized it was just the train to Mombasa, but it feels like that could have been a valuable moment of Dante-esque introspection, and I appreciate that.
3. Bonding time. Nothing breaks down barriers like salty salty sweat and forced hours of conversation
4. Arrival is sensational. I’ve never had such a good day on the beach. I imagine this is what prisoners feel like on their first day out and about after years of incarceration.
5. The tale. If you decide to brave it after reading this, well, you are insane and I hope to never meet you in a dark secluded place, but then again one day you’ll have a great story to tell.
Bon Voyage.
Written 24 February 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KatiB
Budapest28 contributions
Jan 2012 • Family
Train was an interesting way to get from Nairobi to Mombasa...for a $55tkt you get a place to travel, a place to spend the niight and sleep, dinner and breakfast, conversation with others, view of parks and some wildlife.... the train is very slow, a bit hot, and on this particular trip at 2am there was added excitement when there were a number of gunshots...explained as foiling an attempted robbery.... but all alrrived safe and sound just an hour or so late in Mombasa.
Written 29 January 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AleAllAroundTheWorld
Rome, Italy133 contributions
Apr 2012 • Friends
The trip can be somehow interesting for tourist who are not too comfort demanding, but little of the old charm is left on this train line. The tickets can be purchased directly at the train station in Nairobi city center. The staff is very nice and good willing, but the train itself needs a very deep renewal. I travelled in 1st class, the window of my compartment was blocked, the beds damaged, no air conditioning (or simply forced air circulation) and it was not the hottest period of the year. Food quality is average, especially for the price paid. Timetable are purely tentative, both for departure (2 hours late) and arrival times (4+ hours late). Sleeping during night time can be difficult, as the train suddenly brakes and moves again quite often, making a lot of noise and moving you abrupdetly. Early morning it passes through the Tsavo park for about an hour; I did not see much beside the bush and some monkeys. All in all, if you are not in a hurry and with a nice group of friends, it can be a unique experience. The train is full of tourists of all ages and you can easily socialize at dinner and breakfast time. Otherwise airplanes are just 20 USD more expensive, ten times faster and much more comfortable.
Written 16 May 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Linda B
Weston super Mare, UK79 contributions
Mar 2014
Be prepared for disappointment our first attempt to travel along this historic line on the 11 March 14 came to an abrupt halt. I had arranged every thing from the UK train ticket local guide in Nairobi and return flight back to Mombasa. We had taken a taxi from our hotel to the station only to be told the train had been canceled. Back at the hotel I managed to cancel the plane tickets and the guide, how much of a refund I get waits to be seen.
Attempt number 2
I managed to transfer the train tickets for use on Thursday service we arrived at the station at 16:00 no train but we were told it was running. The hours passed with next to no information at 04:00 the train arrived and we got on board I was not expecting luxury and if the train had departed in a few minutes that we were led to be lev all would have been ok.At 5 am we sat down to our evening meal in the station the after going 15 hours with out eating anything we were hungry the meal was edible but poor. We returned to our cabin the beds were made but the bedding did not look too good at this point we decided to get off the train and make our way back to our Hotel for the following reasons we were going to arrive in Nairobi at night after spending 12 hours in a hot non air conditions cabin, the railway museum in Nairobi would be closed and we would need to spend the night in an hotel or at the airport because would have missed the last flight back to Mombasa and the train toilet was disgusting. So all in all it has been a very expensive disappointing experience.
Attempt number 2
I managed to transfer the train tickets for use on Thursday service we arrived at the station at 16:00 no train but we were told it was running. The hours passed with next to no information at 04:00 the train arrived and we got on board I was not expecting luxury and if the train had departed in a few minutes that we were led to be lev all would have been ok.At 5 am we sat down to our evening meal in the station the after going 15 hours with out eating anything we were hungry the meal was edible but poor. We returned to our cabin the beds were made but the bedding did not look too good at this point we decided to get off the train and make our way back to our Hotel for the following reasons we were going to arrive in Nairobi at night after spending 12 hours in a hot non air conditions cabin, the railway museum in Nairobi would be closed and we would need to spend the night in an hotel or at the airport because would have missed the last flight back to Mombasa and the train toilet was disgusting. So all in all it has been a very expensive disappointing experience.
Written 14 March 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joy K
Nairobi, Kenya21 contributions
Mar 2017 • Couples
I have been to Mombasa very many times, usually driving. On my last trip i wanted to experience the train which i had heard a lot about. My experience was much better that my expectations, most people had described their experience as being quite negative. The train station is in town so account for some traffic if you are to make it for the 5pm departure. I found the station easily using google maps. It takes no time to get your ticket and can be obtained on the day you travel. The station in Nairobi is very old school which is very cool and there is a restaurant where you can get a snack, meal or drink as you wait for your train. You can get a third class, second class or first class ticket. There is not much of a difference between second and first class except that second has four beds and first has two (bunkbed style). The second class is more spacious and allows for more airflow as it can get very warm, uncomfortably so. I would recommend second class and if you are only two you can each have the bottom bunk which is more comfortable as the second bunk is quite high and the train sways. Some cabins do not have windows that open, i am not sure if the staff are aware of which ones do and which ones don't. Luckily all the windows in my cabin opened which made the trip much more enjoyable. Perhaps when purchasing your tickets you may be able to find out. There is security on the train and some flush toilets. A half board ticket includes, dinner and breakfast, the food is basic but tasty and the portions are more than enough, for dinner we had soup, chicken/beef, rice and cabbage and fruit salad for dessert. Breakfast included; bread, egg, sausage and baked beans as well as a fruit salad and some juice. Our journey was spot on, 5pm departure and 11am (the following day) arrival, no delays which made us beyond excited. I went with my boyfriend, there were some large groups and smaller groups, travelling the train with a large groups would be a lot of fun, but theres always plenty of people to befriend. I carried lots of water, wet wipes (no shower), toilet paper, snacks and some drinks as well as a speaker and book. They have a turn down service where they give you a sheet and blanket before bed, and i did manage to sleep. The floor in the cabin is quite filthy so wear shoes at all times, sandals will do, the corridors are also very narrow and have a system of keeping valuables safe when you leave the cabin. In the dinning cart there are two sockets for charging (if they have power), i would suggest brining a small adaptor so that many phones can charge at the same time. When you arrive at the station you will not find any taxis but on the main road you can get a tuk tuk. The trian does not run everyday so plan accordingly. I flew back from the coast after our trip as i just wanted to experience the famous Lunatic Express. If you have time and do not mind the certain lack of comfort you will experience compared to other means i would highly, highly recommend travelling by train at least once in your life.
Written 8 May 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris M
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK10 contributions
Mar 2016 • Solo
Having read previous reviews of the Nairobi Mombasa train, I decided it could not be that bad. I booked well in advance with a personal visit to Nairobi Station KES 4400 seemed a good price for dinner bed and breakfast. The very helpful attendant informed me to be at the station at 7pm for an 8pm departure on Good Friday. I received both a text message and a telephone call earlier that day to inform me the train was delayed but to arrive at the station at 10pm for an 11 pm departure. After a couple of power cuts at the station the train arrived approximately 1145pm and duly disappeared almost immediately to go somewhere else to be cleaned. It appeared the station manager apparently unhappy with the skills of his cleaning staff opted to join them. 1am, 2am and 3am passed without incident, the train returning at 330am for people to board and leave probably about 430. I enquired of the guard his estimate of the journey time and was informed it would take 19 hours, arriving in Mombasa approximately 1130pm, 12 hours later than scheduled as a speed restriction had been placed on the train, the 22.5 becoming about 18.5. As I only planned to be in Mombasa for one night and had already booked my flight back to Nairobi, I found the station manager and managed to obtain an immediate refund. I returned to my apartment by 0430, booked a flight with Kenyan Airways at 1230 and was in Mombasa at my hotel by 2pm, about 9 hours before the train arrived. The only announcement of any description during my 6 hours at the station was that the train was arriving, it was impossible to find out anything further. A number of other potential passengers left throughout the night. Might be one to avoid.
Written 28 March 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Eva T
Thessaloniki, Greece85 contributions
Jan 2016 • Couples
Let's get some things straight. How can you call a train that is dangerous, filthy and almost broken, charming? It's not. Not by a long shot. And I love trains. Adore them. But this? Meh.
Hakuna matata guys, I get it, but 26 hours for 620 km distance is not just long, it shows an attitute of "oh, mzungus ready to die of boredom, heat and mosquitoes, take the money and let them complain, who cares?".
It is an adventure you say? Yeah, if you believe that an extremely overpriced package of sweat, discomfort, filth and bugs, adventurous. And the views, ah the expected views over Tsavo, currently disrupted by chinese people working 24\7 on the new railway. So basicaly what you get is dust. Yummy.
It's a total rip off, clearly they don't care to improve their service, they have no sympathy for the travellers and think that there will always be suckers to pay for the nothing they offer, like many things across Kenya.
And if you, like me before living it first hand, think that you'll miss on a chance to tell great surreal stories afterwards if you skip the train, I assure you that these lines you are reading is the only story I have from that train. It's nothing. Taking matatus along the way produced so much more drama and exhitement than this meh experience.
If you love old trains, go to the balcans and move from town to town. Go somewhere else.
Hakuna matata guys, I get it, but 26 hours for 620 km distance is not just long, it shows an attitute of "oh, mzungus ready to die of boredom, heat and mosquitoes, take the money and let them complain, who cares?".
It is an adventure you say? Yeah, if you believe that an extremely overpriced package of sweat, discomfort, filth and bugs, adventurous. And the views, ah the expected views over Tsavo, currently disrupted by chinese people working 24\7 on the new railway. So basicaly what you get is dust. Yummy.
It's a total rip off, clearly they don't care to improve their service, they have no sympathy for the travellers and think that there will always be suckers to pay for the nothing they offer, like many things across Kenya.
And if you, like me before living it first hand, think that you'll miss on a chance to tell great surreal stories afterwards if you skip the train, I assure you that these lines you are reading is the only story I have from that train. It's nothing. Taking matatus along the way produced so much more drama and exhitement than this meh experience.
If you love old trains, go to the balcans and move from town to town. Go somewhere else.
Written 8 January 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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