Verified 13 September 2026

Changing or cancelling a Madaraka Express ticket, and what it costs

By Aisha Hassan · Madaraka Express hub · paybillke is an independent guide and is not affiliated with Madaraka Express.

Both rescheduling and cancelling must happen at least 48 hours before departure. Rescheduling costs 10% of the fare; cancelling costs 30%. Premium class does both online at metickets.krc.co.ke. Economy and First Class require a visit to a station with original ID. A ticket can only be rescheduled once, and once rescheduled it cannot be cancelled.

The 48-hour line is absolute

Kenya Railways states the 48-hour deadline applies irrespective of the date or time the ticket was purchased. Buying a ticket 24 hours before departure does not buy you a fresh 48-hour window. For group travel the deadline is 72 hours. Inside those windows there is no change and no refund, which makes the last two days of any booking effectively final.

Rescheduling

A reschedule keeps the same class, the same service and the same person. You cannot use it to move from Economy to First, to jump to a different route, or to hand the trip to someone else.

The fee is 10% of the fare, payable in cash at the station for Economy and First Class. It is subject to seats being available on the new date: if the train is full, there is nothing to move you onto.

And it is once only. After a reschedule the ticket cannot be rescheduled again, and cannot be cancelled at all.

Cancelling and refunds

Cancellation is 30% of the fare, so a refund returns 70% of what you paid, in cash at the station. You need the original identification documents and a photocopy; the copy is retained as the record.

Two things get a refund rejected outright: a ticket that is damaged or tampered with so it cannot be recognised, and a ticket that has already been rescheduled.

If you are hoping a cancelled seat frees up for you, they do: Kenya Railways floats a cancelled ticket back into the system 30 minutes after cancellation. Keep checking metickets.krc.co.ke or *639#.

Premium class does it online

This is the one meaningful operational difference between the classes. Premium tickets are rescheduled and cancelled at metickets.krc.co.ke using the Manage Premium Booking flow with your booking ID and an OTP. No station visit. The same 48-hour deadline and the same 10% and 30% fees apply. Economy and First Class have to be done in person.

Wrong route booked

Changing the route is treated as its own transaction, not as a reschedule. Visit a station at least 48 hours before the departure time on the ticket, carry the original identification documents and a copy, and expect a 30% charge of the fare in cash.

Tickets are not transferable

You cannot pass a ticket to another person. The identification details of whoever is travelling must match the passenger details on the ticket, and they are checked at boarding. Kenya Railways is explicit that you should not buy a ticket issued in someone else's name, because you will not be allowed to travel on it.

About this page

paybillke is an independent payments directory. We are not Kenya Railways and we cannot see, change or refund your booking. Fares, schedules and rules on this page were read directly off Kenya Railways sources on 13 September 2026 and are cited as such. For anything that costs money, confirm on metickets.krc.co.ke or call 0709 388 887 before you pay.

Changing an SGR booking

Action	Deadline	Fee	Where
Reschedule, Economy or First	48 hours before	10% of fare, cash	Station counter
Reschedule, Premium	48 hours before	10% of fare	Online at metickets.krc.co.ke
Cancel, Economy or First	48 hours before	30% of fare	Station counter, original ID plus copy
Cancel, Premium	48 hours before	30% of fare	Online at metickets.krc.co.ke
Group travel, either	72 hours before	As above	Station counter
Change route	48 hours before	30% of fare, cash	Station counter
Replace a lost ticket	At the station	30% of fare	Station counter

Frequently asked

Can I get a refund on an SGR ticket?

Yes, if you cancel at least 48 hours before departure. Kenya Railways keeps 30% of the fare, so you get 70% back in cash at the station.

How much does it cost to reschedule an SGR ticket?

10% of the fare, and only 48 hours or more before departure. The new trip must be the same class, same service and same person.

Can I reschedule twice?

No. A ticket can only be rescheduled once, and once rescheduled it can no longer be cancelled.

Do I have to go to the station to cancel?

For Economy and First Class, yes, with original ID and a photocopy. Premium tickets are cancelled online at metickets.krc.co.ke.

A train is sold out. Will seats come back?

Sometimes. A cancelled ticket is floated back into the system after 30 minutes, so keep checking online or on *639#.