Have you travelled on the Lunatic Express?
This is the muzungu’s personal account of the ‘Lunatic Express’ train journey from Nairobi to Mombasa, Kenya, an epic adventure bar none! Read all about East Africa’s railway history, Tsavo’s man-eating lions and the muzungu’s train survival tips.
- – No. of KM journey: 530
- – No. of Kenyan shillings for 2nd class ticket: 3,385 (USD 33)
- – No. of hours delay leaving Nairobi Railway Station: 10
- – No. of hours on train journey (forecast): 13
- – No. of hours on train journey (actual): 23
- – No. of degrees Celsius on the train: 40+
- – No. of beers consumed: not enough
- – No. of National Parks traversed for free: 2
- – No. of elephants seen on Tsavo safari: 3
The name should have been warning enough… yet, behind every travel nightmare is the makings of a good travel blog. (Oh, the situations the muzungu gets herself into in the search for a good story!)
We travelled in the light of the Full Moon or should I say: we travelled under the effects of the full moon. Lunacy indeed!
What made the Muzungu want to embark on this notorious train journey?
My ride on Kampala’s passenger train service made me want to discover more of East Africa’s rail network, and its history.
Daydreaming about my next train adventure gave me a reason to plan a trip to Kenya’s coast: the first leg from Kampala to Nairobi was by bus (although once upon a time, you could do the whole trip by train). I knew that one day passengers would again be able to cross East Africa by train but before that happened, I wanted to experience the original Lunatic Express train – so I could compare it with the new one. Of romance and railways is my follow-up story, written 2018, and compares the Lunatic Express, the bus and the Standard Gauge Railway! But first…
What is the Lunatic* Express?
Although the entire 660 mile (just over 1000 km) length of the Uganda Railway actually runs through Kenya – from Mombasa to Kisumu on the Kenyan shores of Lake Victoria – the railway derives its name from its final destination: Uganda. Sources states that the purpose of the railway was “to protect British colonial interests from the Germans.” The fact that the Uganda Railway opened up trade across Uganda and Kenya was simply a ‘by the way.’
Charles Miller came up with the term ‘Lunatic Express’ in his 1971 book The Lunatic Express: An Entertainment in Imperialism to describe the challenges – and calamities – of the Uganda Railway’s construction, notably:
- – 2,500 (of 32,000 workmen) died during construction, mostly from disease
- – 28 Indian “coolies” (‘workers’ to you and me) were killed by the man-eating lions of Tsavo
- – 135 African laborers were also killed by said Tsavo man-eaters. It’s interesting that 28 is generally the number of people recorded as killed by lions. However, according to Ugandans at Heart / ‘EKB’ Ekitibwa Kya Buganda “the Africans were considered not important enough for an accurate count or record to be kept.” The actual toll of all men killed by lions must therefore be 163+ /- [scroll down for more about those pesky pussy cats…]
- Very demanding terrain
- Lack of water / drought
- “Hostile natives” (hardly bloody surprising)
- Derailments and collisions
*A lunatic endeavour is something considered to be extremely foolish or eccentric. The word lunatic is derived from the Latin word luna, meaning moon. The Latin word lunaticus means “moon-struck” and a lunatic someone who is “affected with periodic insanity, dependent on the changes of the moon.”
How to book your tickets for the Lunatic Express
The start was very promising. The call to the booking office at Nairobi Railway Station confirmed that it would be cheaper for us to purchase tickets in Nairobi than to buy them in advance online. So far, so good …
Upon arrival at Nairobi Railway Station, the humourless security woman insisted I delete my photos of the front of the station. (Lord knows there must already be enough photos in circulation, what difference would mine make?)
The interior of Nairobi Railway Station is an exact replica of Kampala Railway Station, with all its original features in place. In Nairobi however, someone has tried to give the place a modern facelift, circling the century-old fittings with bright gaudy paint. Not a good look.
Generally, Nairobi Railway Station is in a shocking state of repair. (By contrast, the interiors and platforms of Kampala Railway Station remain in near perfect condition, having been closed to the public for 30 years).
We purchased our Lunatic Express tickets from the wonderfully helpful Evelyn and Elias. My friends opted for a two bunk first class compartment while I opted for second class. Our tickets cost 4,405 KES (approx 43 USD) first class and 3,385 KES (approx 33 USD) second class and included breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The train passes through 530 km (300 miles) of East Africa, from Kenya’s capital Nairobi to the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa. I was most looking forward to traversing Tsavo National Park (now split into East Tsavo and West Tsavo), most famous for the man-eating lions, as many unfortunates were to discover to their peril back in 1898.
The train was forecast to leave at 7 PM on Good Friday. As Evelyn took our booking, she asked for our phone numbers “for when (not if) there is a delay.” I didn’t think much about that; we just booked our tickets and went on our way.
The Lunatic Express: day of our departure
Keen to embark on my first train Safari, I decided to get to the railway station early – unusually for me: several hours early.
In the meantime, Evelyn called my friend Julia to advise of a delay. The train would not depart until 10 PM so we headed into town to kill time in a bar. Generous helpings of goat and ugali later, another phone call advised us: the Lunatic Express departure time was likely to be 11.30 pm or midnight. Needless to say, when we arrived at the station, there was no sign of the train. It had not arrived from Mombasa. A number of very annoyed bazungu tourists requested refunds.
Children were curled up asleep with their parents on hard wooden benches. In the sofa area – in total darkness, thanks to a power cut – a man at a tiny bar served people while holding a small torch. Inside the station was a retro lounge bar of a bygone era.
We were invited to board the train at 3 am. At 5 o’clock in the morning – 10 hours later than the advertised departure time – our train rumbled out of Nairobi Railway Station. The muzungu was curled up asleep in the top bunk of compartment B in coach 2326 by then.
I woke up on a moving train, crossing the savannah.
I had only slept four hours in two days but I was too excited to go back to sleep. What’s more, the compartment was quickly heating up (the weather in Nairobi had been roasting hot). I tried to pull down the window, but it refused to open more than a few inches.
A member of staff walked along the corridor outside my compartment and announced “breakfast will be ready soon.”
“Soon” turned out to be an hour or more later!
Our journey from Nairobi pushed us into a coastal heatwave. Rather than travel in the relative cool of the night, our late departure meant we traversed the 483 km in the heat of the day, our train absorbing every ray of the hot sun.
Kampala and Nairobi had been hotter than normal and I had been dreading the predicted heatwave at the Kenyan coast. However, after 23 hours in our mobile sauna, I felt thoroughly acclimatised!
“There really should be a swimming pool on the roof of the train,” Julia said.
“Don’t you think they should first switch on the ceiling fans, fix the air conditioning and make it possible for us to open the windows?!” I suggested.
Much like Nairobi Railway Station, the Lunatic Express train is in a state of total neglect. There were few locks on the toilet doors, none on compartments (except when inside) and just two power sockets per carriage.
Yet there were glimpses of the train’s former splendour. Although from the outside, the Lunatic Express is a non-descript modern train, the interior features wooden benches, some 1930s-style fittings, cup holders and other metal fittings engraved with Rft Valley Railway, faded old posters and the occasional piece of original silver tableware.
My favourite piece of tableware was the metal butter dish. I loved its air of faded opulence. Julia removed the lid to reveal a messy dollop of cheap Blue Band margarine. Humph!
Travel on the Lunatic Express is not a gourmet experience
These days, everything about the Lunatic Express is cheap (including the train tickets, if I’m honest). But like they say: “you get what you pay for” and our three meals were basic and not particularly appetising. Dinner was simply a second serving of lunch.
Cooked breakfast (eggs, sausages and baked beans) included cheap sliced white sugary bread (toasted one side only! To save time? To save money?) The weak-tasting coffee was of the instant variety (in Kenya? In one of the world’s major coffee producing countries?) But ignore that: I loved the way the waiters expertly poured our hot beverages from beautiful old tea and coffeepots, while the train rumbled along.
From the train windows, we watched the landscape change as we passed through open countryside, mile after mile, kilometre after kilometre.
We saw the occasional human: a young girl collecting firewood, a man tending a flock of goats and cows.
As we rattled through one of the numerous derelict railway stations and outposts, I observed a woman and baby watching us. People approached our slowly-moving train. A handful of children shouted at us for money.
A safari through Tsavo – and no park fees to pay!
A real draw for me was the chance to experience a train safari – and I was not disappointed.
Tsavo is Kenya’s largest national park and covers nearly 22,000 sq km. It is one of the world’s largest. The construction of the railway split the park into two: Tsavo East National Park and Tsavo West National Park.
Crossing Tsavo, beyond a new viaduct, everyone moved to one side of the train carriage to watch elephants. I also spotted baboons and Thomson’s Gazelles.
We moved too quickly to identify many birds but I couldn’t miss a vibrant Lilac-breasted Roller, and larger bird species like Marabou Storks, and a Chanting Grey Goshawk perched on the roof of a derelict railway building next to the track.
Two children shouted that they had “seen a lion lying in the grass.” Their mother and I exchanged looks of doubt and held back our sniggers.
The story of Tsavo’s man-eating lions is gripping! Keep reading…
How apt. By the light of the Full Moon, the Lunatic Express arrived in Mombasa.
As we sensed our journey coming to an end, Julia and I got a new lease of life. (Or was that the half bottle of vodka in my bag?) We bounced along the train corridor, to and from the buffet car, gently thrown left and right; it was like being on a ship.
I had lost my concept of time… one staff member said we were an hour from Mombasa; another estimated two and a half hours. Everyone – staff included – moped around listlessly in the heat. Few people had phone battery left (for much of the journey there was no phone network anyway).
The shadows of palm tress silhouetted against the moonlit sky waved us “karibu” – WELCOME into the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa.
The marathon endurance trip was finally behind us.
Several very sweaty hours and a few cold beers later, the Lunatic Express arrived at the coast. The advertised 13 hour journey was actually a 43 hour adventure from start to finish.
How to ride a tuk tuk
Thanks to the brilliant Jane Spilsbury at the Watamu Marine Association, we had a booking at Regency Park Hotel. We had a rough idea of how much to pay for a taxi from Mombasa station, thanks to RVR train staff member George, who organized our taxi. We’d bonded with our Norwegian train companions by this stage and shared the phone number of our hotel.
“Do you want to share a taxi with us?” I suggested.
“I’m not sure there will be enough room, will there?” One asked. We were five people with five sets of luggage.
“Let’s see,” I said, “we can try.”
Our lumbering great taxi driver was there on the platform to meet us. We walked towards his taxi … a tuk tuk!
We all laughed out loud. “I think we need another vehicle!” Someone said.
The giant taxi driver proceeded to pack all our bags and all five of us into his miniscule motor. How would our tall friend fit in? He shared the driver’s seat with him – one bum cheek each!
There may have been no red carpet at Mombasa, no fanfare of trumpets, yet we arrived at our hotel in style.
Parting thoughts
No-one can board the Lunatic Express train without seeing its potential and bemoaning the very poor facilities. Back in the day, this would have been a state-of-the-art train experience. All the facilities are there, including air conditioning and announcement system. There are also locks on toilet doors. (Sadly few of these work anymore). Few of the train windows open, even if the muzungu asks a strong man to assist her, and many of the window mosquito nets are torn.
Beyond that, we found the train to be clean enough (even if the bedding was patched in places). The staff were helpful, although there were no explanations for the train’s late arrival in Nairobi, late departure and even later arrival in Mombasa! At certain points our train was stuck moving behind a slow goods train. On other occasions, our train had to pull into sidings to let a goods train pass on the single track.
This train journey really could be a spectacular experience. Let’s hope it will be again when the new Standard Gauge Railway is complete and the rolling stock is upgraded.
For much of the length of the trip, we rolled parallel to the new railway line. Many sections appear to be complete; in other areas, it’s still a construction site.
At the time of writing (2016), the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) network was set to expand to Uganda, South Sudan and Rwanda. In Uganda, it will comprise of three major routes with a total route length of 1,614km. The SGR will stretch to the DRC border.
End of the line for ‘Lunatic Express?’ Kenya begins multi-billion dollar railway.
How to survive the Lunatic Express! An essential packing list
- – A flexible itinerary
- – African concept of time!
- – GSOH good sense of humour 🙂
- – Toilet paper
- – Soap
- – Hand gel / wipes
- – Mosquito repellent
- – Earplugs
- – Playing cards or other non-electronic amusements – power sockets are hard to find
- – Rechargers / Smartphone power packs
- – A map of East Africa so you can trace your route
- – Snacks
- – Cold beers, sodas and water are available and not expensive.
- – An ice box
- – Strong liquor!
- – Cigarettes? Smokers opened a side door and sat on the steps as we moved slowly along
- – A fan
- – Kichoi (or sarong), flip-flops / sandals, shorts and T-shirts / vests.
- – A mirror! I did not see / use / even thinking of using a mirror on the train (as the photos probably tell!)
- – Contacts for a hotel in Mombasa “for when there is a delay.”
More survival tips for travelling the Lunatic Express
- – The Glory Hotel in Mombasa was recommended to us, but full, so we stayed at Regency Park Hotel. The staff were helpful and the breakfast was generous. Choose from rooms with fans or air conditioning). Pay 300 – 500 KES for a cab/tuk tuk from Mombasa Railway Station.
- – You may think you’re going to save one day by travelling overnight but if the train delays, you are likely to miss that important meeting, flight or even wedding! And if you don’t sleep very well, you will lose a day catching up on sleep as well. I’d say: only take the Lunatic Express train from Nairobi to Mombasa when you have two or three days to spare.
- – Although second class accommodation means four people share a compartment, it is bigger than the first class two-person compartment – and thus allows more air to circulate. Incredibly important if you’re travelling during a heatwave!
- – I later realized only a few passengers got off the train at Mombasa. They must have decided to sleep there until they were chucked off the train (and save renting a hotel room like we did).
- – Shower in the sink – cos there ain’t nothing else!
- – Get to know your travel companions right away. You will surely end up interacting at some point on the journey, so leave behind your sensibilities and connect with them early on. Remember: what happens on the train stays on the train! 😉
Despite the lack of communication, zero explanation and no apology for the delays, we thoroughly enjoyed our adventure on the Lunatic Express train to Mombasa. We maintained our sense of humour throughout!
Thanks to the ever smiling George. He received every complaint with a big smile and ran up and down the train all day and night trying to keep everyone happy.
Are you interested in the history of East Africa’s railways?
Nairobi is the biggest city in East Africa. It is immense.
It’s incredible to believe that Nairobi sprang up around the railway, just a little over 100 years ago. From my account of today’s rundown Lunatic Express service, you might dismiss the railways in East Africa – but history tells a very different story.
If you are interested in history, I highly recommend these articles:
Following the line of Kenya’s development is as easy as following the development of railway lines through the country.
Why did so many railway workers get killed by lions?
“The Man-Eaters of Tsavo and other East African Adventures” recalls the nine month period of terror during 1898 when over 100 men were killed by two man-eating lions. This book made British engineer Lieutenant Colonel J. H. Patterson, D.S.O. a celebrity.
“Night after night, workers disappeared in ones and twos…” and an American hunter was called in…
Arriving in the continent he has dreamed of forever, Patterson meets his project. There are problems with it: competing French and German rivals, ethnic hatred among the crews and, on Patterson’s first day there, a worker is attacked by a lion. He goes to “sort it out” by shooting the beast with one shot; gaining the admiration of his crews, lifting spirits, adding motivation to complete the bridge, and unleashing a nightmare.
Only weeks after the shooting the camp is suddenly besieged by a pair of giant man-eating lions. Their first “kill” is Mahina (Henry Cele), considered the strongest man in the camp. This serves to unnerve every man on the project, including Indian rabble-rouser Abdullah, who doesn’t like Patterson from the start. Nerves jangle and fray as the lions repeatedly and relentlessly attack and attack and attack! They strike under the cover of night AND during the heat of day; They kill not for hunger, not for sport, but simply because they like it. Men are dragged from their beds and mauled to death in the tall grasses; the hospital becomes a blood-bathe; Laborers aren’t safe as the beasts leap out and snatch them from their work. Everything is falling apart and Patterson is at his wit’s end as Beaumont arrives to make matters worse. And still the lions attack and attack and attack.
Enter Big Game Hunter Charles Remington who is as determined to destroy the lions as the lions seem determined to eat every man in camp.
From a review of The Ghost and the Darkness, a 1996 Oscar-winning film, staring Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas.
Have you traveled on the ‘Lunatic Express’ train from Nairobi to Mombasa?
Writing about these journeys prompts other people to share their experiences.
“I took the train in 1982 when I was a student. I travelled down to the coast with my fishing rods. I didn’t get a (sleeping) compartment. I threw my fishing rods in the overhead bag rack, climbed up and slept there for the whole journey, from Nairobi to Mombasa.”
Richard ‘Bug’ from Watamu
That’s an uncomfortable way to spend 12+ hours, believe me!
Once upon a time, the train ran all the way from Kampala through Nairobi on to Mombasa.
Nairobi was very different in those days. Even before the train reached Nairobi airport, you were in the bush. There were first-class compartments and a first-class dining car.
Back in the day, the train drivers were all Sikhs.
Mike from Kampala (It all sounded pretty fabulous!)
What are your train travel tips? And what are your memories of the Lunatic Express during its heyday?
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Great article and well done all of you for going on the trip and surviving with humour intact. I’d love to do it but might wait until the train has been upgraded. Will I have a long wait?
It’s not been easy trying to find info about the new service. I had wanted to include it in the blog…
The Kenyan section of the Standard Gauge Railway is due to be complete early 2017. I hear it will be a four hour train journey! That will be fantastic for Nairobi families who want to spend the weekends at the coast … I did love losing sense of time tho…
Never heard the name Lunatic Express before however about 15 years ago my (then) husband and I did the Nairobi-Mombasa trip as part of our first African safari. It was the most romantic trip I have ever had. I was soo excited. I just lay awake on my bunk and watching the moon lit African savannah slip past my window as the music of the clanking train wheels serenaded. The “muslim” toilets were a culture shock and the waste pouring onto the tracks I prefer not to think about. Thankfully I found out about that aspect “after the fact”. The meals were very colonial but tasty and served with deference. Our train broke down a few miles before we reached Mombasa and we were forced to use a bus to finish the journey. I enjoyed it all. I will do it again. I wait for the new train to take my next East African safari.
I just loved this journey and love hearing everyone’s memories of it.
I plan to take this journey again. This original train will still be running for a while, even after the new SGR train starts service. CHOO CHOO!
Master L and Miss D loved this article thanks for posting 😉
Hey Ant, how lovely! Maybe they’ll get to travel on it one day? I believe the journey on the new line will only take 4 hours – tho somehow I prefer the longer route 🙂
How funny to hear you refer to the Nairobi-Mombassa train. We took it from Mombassa to Nairobi 43 years ago. I don’t know about now but in those days it was a colonial splendour. It had silver service in the restaurant and the couchettes were quite splendid with wonderful, soft, springy linen bed rolls.
The line outside Mombassa was lined with people as we left. They waved and cheered and seemed to enjoy the passing of the splendid train. The poverty in those days was different. Outside of Nairobi there were cardboard houses. However, they all had little plots of land and were able to scrape a small living from that, growing their own produce. Our friends owned a smallholding near the lake famous for its flamingos. They grew green beans for export. And that was back in the early 70’s.
It’s very sad now to see the huge shanty town outside Nairobi, filled with sad and ill-used people. Perhaps it will change soon but in 40 odd years it’s changed for the worse, I think.
Hi Jill,
Hope you don’t mind me getting in touch. I’m the curator for a new museum project at Leicester, part of which will focus on the former East African Railways. Really interested in hearing from people who have memories of this line. If you pick this up and would like to help, please contact me at museum@gcrailway.co.uk. Many thanks, Roger Shelley (01509 633851).
Sounds interesting! Please keep us posted. Would you like to write a Guest Post about the project?
Hey Charlotte,
Great read and thanks for giving us a glimpse into the lunacy! I can’t
wait to ride in the Standard Gauge when it is done, all the way from
Kampala to Mombasa!
Thanks too for pointing the way towards the ‘Man-eaters of Tsavo’; a
gripping account of the great sacrifices to modernise East Africa,
including the great loss of African and Asian lives relentlessly
mauled by the beasts of the jungle.
A great tribute to the men and women who laid the foundation to make
East Africa, especially Kenya and Uganda, what they are today.
Best regards
Daniel
Oh my word, what a tale! I LOVE reading about journeys like this, I could feel the heat and presumably the stench (you very politely didn’t mention the state of the toilets after that many hours on the train), but also the sense of excitment and adventure. What a wonderful train it must once have been. I am hoping to do the train journey down to Cape Town at some point, I don’t think it will be quite the adventure of yours but train travel is such a great way to get around. Thank you for linking up with the Stories from Blogging Africa link-up 🙂
Thanks Clara, it really was quite an adventure. Now planning my next train trip: TAZARA from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to Lusaka in Zambia. Is it the Shongolo or Rovos train you’ll be taking?
Surprisingly – the toilets on the Lunatic Express weren’t too bad (I guess because everything fell through an open hole onto the track below!)
My husband lost his Ray Bans to that hole in the floor loo on the Nairobi to Naivasha leg. They clattered down onto the track- his fault for holding a toddler over the seat! Love the story and also loved watching the video.
Oh no! Bit of a fashion disaster then too! 🙂
Imagine that hole has swallowed a good number of glasses, phones etc over the years!
Great article …. You outdid yourself with this. I’m convinced now, that when j grow up, that I want to be a Ugandan Blogger. I didn’t read a three worthwhile books on the subject including “Man-Eaters.” I will tell you that Michael Douglas’ movie, “The Ghost and the Darkness” is a bit of a sham. Anyway, I am thinking of a Zanzibar trip and then the rail to Nairobi. My daughter said, “Forget it.” Stll, if I can’t find a suitable traveler I might just do it on my own. Later….
Hello David, thanks for the positive comments. Yes, my imagination did go into overdrive on this story! Sometimes I get so carried away checking out the occasional fact for a blog that a simple travel story becomes historical research, a spot of birdwatching, book reviews et cetera et cetera! I’ve always loved train travel and had been dying to go on the Lunatic Express for years.
I haven’t watched “The ghost and the darkness” yet but I did suspect it’s a bit of a B-movie! Still, would like to watch it just to be sure.
As you read, I would recommend the train journey. Do it over the next few months because the old trains and original track will be taken out of service soon when the Standard Gauge Railway goes online. (Unless they run both, which is highly unlikely). In fact, maybe I should find time to do the journey again myself!
Great article!I too would like to take this train ride before it goes out of serice sometime early next year though I find the unreliable train departure time from Nairobi and the heat a bit off-putting.I also plan to take the TAZARA train from Dar to Lusaka next year after a bus trip from Nairobi to Dar.Looking forward to all that adventure.Thanks for being such an inspiration with your travel stories.
I traveled during a heatwave (April 2016) so it won’t always be that hot. Also we ended up traveling during the day. When it leaves on time, the journey is at night when it is a lot cooler 🙂
I want to take the TAZARA train next! You are very welcome to write about your story and feature it here…
Thanks for the appreciation!
Thank yuo for this article, I can really immagine the journey. Me and my friend have already tickets bought for the 1st class in January 2017. However, there are plenty of people strongly discouraging us from this journey, not only because of delays, but also because of danger of burglars.., but it is still a big illusion for us to travel with this train, although we already booked an accommodation in Diani and if there is a delay of 20 hours.. it is complicated to cancel it. I suppose there are no changes in duration and of the journey since May…
Hi Sonia, thanks for your comments. People warned me about the delays but I ignored them… I would add extra time in your schedule if you can. Our stuff was perfectly safe although I always carry my valuables on me.
As for the journey duration, you are best talking to the railway company directly. It is a single track railway.
The train is no more!
🙁
The end of the road for the ‘Lunatic Express’Rift Valley Railways has halted passenger operations with immediate effect.
The saddest thing i had this year 🙁
“I really don’t like trains” starts Beewol’s blog.”I can almost certainly say that I fear them. My childhood was swarmed with several books and movies about train crashes. It moulded me into a life-long hater of trains and railways.”
Lifelong? Well his life is not over yet – in fact I believe Beewol‘s love affair with trains has just started, thanks to a recent media trip he took part in.
“So very recently when I received a call from the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) team about a train project they are working on, I was sure that the Universe was working up some sick joke and my name had been thrown in as a way to ruin my life.”
Read the full story here. All about the construction plans for the Eastern section of Uganda’s SGR.
Waiting on the train.
I have travelled on the RVR, Ugandan railway and I absolutely loved it. It was a 15 minute trip, I think. I didn’t see the 1st or 2nd class sections tho, it’s more of a general section kind of business going on. They are men and women selling drinks, pan cakes and samosas. It’s the solution to the 4 to 8pm car eat car, boda eat boda jam craze that flunks Kampala-Jinja road on a daily basis. It was quite popular n could not wait to use it again last week but when I got to the train station I was greeted by a poster that announced discontinuity of services due to a sit down strike by the workers.
Hmmm interesting. I expect the RVR railway in Uganda will get back to normal service soon tho 🙂
I like the new train in Kenya but I loved the Lunatic Express more. That was a real train experience in my opinion. The night breeze, breakfast near Samburu village, the Sisal plantation ….. was a great experience.
The TAZARA now remains the best choice for a traveler when it comes to a great train journey in East and Southern Africa.
I love trains so I’m looking forward to my first ride on the Madaraka Express – I only hope that one day the Lunatic Express is restored to its former glory. I know many who would pay a premium to relive this historical route. As for TAZARA – that one is high on my list!
This is a great blog story for the fact that you took the Lunatic Express with its history as your inspiration. What a good way to tour while relating to what happened then!! I have known 3 versions of the lions’ story – the one from the Movie(Ghost and Darkness), one from an octogenarian gentleman from Thika Kenya and The Lunatic Express: An Entertainment In Imperialism which I read in Swedish and enjoyed the most. I am glad you can retell the story of the journey in your version. I love stories and will follow your blog from now on-wards.
Hi Hakim, lovely to read your comment 🙂
I am yet to read The Lunatic Express: An Entertainment In Imperialism but thanks for the reminder!
You may enjoy my latest train journey, on board the Standard Gauge Railway train from Mombasa to Nairobi.
I was very lucky to visit the workshops of the Lunatic Line in Mombasa, Nairobi and Kisumu. Kisumu was the most nostalgic because they had the old sail/steamer tied up at the dock. It was heart-breakingly beautiful! And, tragically, rotting! I also enjoyed the spiral descent on the way to Mombasa where the train completes a circle! I had read about this and on one sleeper trip I happened to wake up at the perfect moment to look out of the window and see both ends of the train above and below me! The service on the train and in the restaurants in Nairobi & Mombasa was definitely from another age. Immaculately white-coated waiters and ancient silver service with bleached linen napkins. The locomotive used to have a bench seat in front over the cowcatcher and white hunters would shoot game on the Athi plains – with the train stopping to collect the trophies. (When I worked on Out of Africa they shot this scene with Robert Redford but I am not sure if it made the final cut.)
Hi David, thanks for sharing your wonderful memories. Oh how I wish I could have seen the steamer!
The new Standard Gauge Railway train
is a very convenient way to travel to and from Nairobi to the coast but I dearly hope that one day an investor will revamp the old line so we can imagine ourselves on the Lunatic Express as was. I’m sure some tourists would pay a premium for it!
Fascinated to read you worked on Out of Africa. What was your role exactly? When I visit Karen (the place!) I’m always gobsmacked to think of the impact her book has made on tourism to Kenya, even Africa as a whole. Funny that few of my African friends have ever heard of her though!
The Lunatic Express should be refurbished by Kenya Railways Corporation for the purposes of adventure and heritage for the local and international tourists who will love the adventure of the old Lunatic line and for the historical experience for the new generation who now use the new SGR. The Lunatic Express Experience is very different from the new Madaraka Express Train of the SGR. So, Kenya Railways should consider that. Very Important.
Gideon, I couldn’t agree more. In these days of global corporate blandness, travellers are looking for authentic experiences. The Lunatic Express has it in buckets!
I’m not sure whether Kenya Railways Corporation would be the right company to do this however. Relaunching the Lunatic Express would require significant investment and a whole new approach. I think a Public Private Partnership would be a far better route for this kind of project. (I used to work for an infrastructure company – roads, rail etc – in a previous life in London).
Around the world, there is a growing interest in unique luxury train travel experiences that ‘take you back in time.’ Please reserve me a seat on the first train out of the sidings 🙂
I took the trip in 1991. The train ride was just 13 hours and the scenery was remarkable. I remember seeing a large flock of ostriches running. They were enormous and fast! At the time I thought, “This is their territory, we’re just passing through.” At the port I took the boat to Mombasa.
Hi Patricia. Your comment has made my day! I LOVE the thought of seeing a flock of ostriches running – I bet they were faster than the train…. “only 13 hours” to Mombasa. LOL.
(The new SGR train is very boring by comparison! Have you been on it yet?)
Thanks for sharing your story.
yes i remember being called MUZUNGU in kenya . in late 1980 i took the LUNATIC EXPRESS from nairobi to mombassa [ later returning the reverse journey ] . my memories from the train journey were waking up in the morning in tsavo national park and seeing wild animals . the silver service in the dining car was an eye opener .
mombassa was a nice change from nairobi , fair bit of history there . from mombassa i travelled up the coast to the island of LAMU . this is very arabic compared to the rest of kenya , nice waterfront and beaches there .
while in kenya i visited the MASAI MARA national park , took a truck expedition upto lake tukana .
in nairobi i stayed at the EMBASSY HOTEL , its central nairobi with a market over the road where you could buy ready rolled “joints” from memory . the embassy in those days had a reputation for having a lot of “working girls “.
all in all . kenya was a great experience .
Great to hear your memories of Kenya, Peter. The term muzungu certainly sticks doesn’t? But it’s not a bad thing.
The Lunatic Express is one of the best adventures I’ve ever had. I particularly love that people still comment on this blog post 🙂
Your truck expedition to Lake Turkana sounds very cool. That’s my kind of travel!
Nairobi’s Hotel Embassy still seems to be going strong, which is interesting considering the vast range of hotels there now. I don’t think you would recognise much of the city: it’s huge and very fast. It reminds me of London. Amazes me to think that Nairobi didn’t exist just a century ago, pre-railway in fact!