Kenya Railways has issued an urgent alert to the public regarding fraudulent TikTok accounts that pose as official booking services for the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).
In a statement on Thursday, November 6, the rail transport operator cautioned Kenyans against falling victim to scammers who have created fake social media pages claiming to offer SGR ticket booking services.
"Please note that these pages are managed by fraudsters who are out to con unsuspecting members of the public. Kenya Railways does not have an official TikTok account, and any accounts claiming to represent us on that platform are fake," the statement read.
Kenya Railways shared screenshots of several fake accounts and groups operating on various social media platforms, all of which falsely claimed to provide SGR booking services. Among the fraudulent pages exposed is a public group called "SGR Online Booking Service 0708**2553," which has attracted 19,100 members. Another fake group identified is "SGR-Madaraka Express booking solutions call 073**29820," operating as a private group with 9,100 members.
The scammers have been exploiting the popularity of the SGR service, particularly targeting travelers unfamiliar with the official booking channels and those seeking what they believe to be convenient alternatives to the standard booking process.
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Official SGR Booking Methods
Kenya Railways has emphasized that there are only three legitimate methods for booking SGR tickets.
The first option is to book online through the official Kenya Railways website at https://metickets.krc.co.ke. Travelers using this method can select their travel details, including departure and destination stations, choose between Express Train or Inter-County Train services, and pick from three available classes.
For those without internet access, Safaricom users can dial the USSD code *639# directly from their mobile phones to access the booking system. The service allows travelers to select their travel details, enter passenger information, and make payments through M-Pesa, all without requiring internet connectivity. Upon successful payment, passengers receive an SMS with their booking reference number, which they use to print tickets at the station.
Passengers preferring face-to-face transactions can visit booking offices at Nairobi Terminus, Mombasa Terminus, or any intermediate station along the SGR route.
