Kenya's president, Uhuru Kenyatta, surprised commuters on Sunday by taking the standard gauge railway from Nairobi to Mombasa, a favorite holiday destination for many during this festive season.

Via his Twitter handle, Uhuru said he boarded the modern train to the coastal city of Mombasa and interacted with Kenyans.

"Earlier today, I took the SGR train from Nairobi to Mombasa, during which I met and interacted with fellow commuters who shared their interesting experiences about the service. I am glad that the SGR train services have enhanced travel for people between the two cities," he said.

The SGR, known as Madaraka Express, was unveiled in June 2017. In just one and a half years since operations began, the SGR has carried 2.2 million passengers with an attendance rate of over 99 percent.