Modes of transport at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and other KAA managed Airports. The distance from the airport to the city centre (Nairobi Central Business District) is 18 kilometres / 11.2 miles. Travel time via the busy Mombasa Road is 30 to 60 minutes. You can choose to travel via the Nairobi Expressway toll road, which will take you just 25 minutes. The toll you have to pay on the JKIA Station – Museum Hill route is 240 KES. The centre of Nairobi consists of the safe Uptown CBD and the not so safe Downtown CBD, the street Moi Avenue is right in the middle. North of the city centre is Westlands where many restaurants (including Open House Restaurant), cafes and shops are located
Taxi and Cabs KAA Airports
Kenya Airports Authority grants licenses to reliable and insured taxicabs and transfers companies to operate in the airports. It is a regulation to have some taxi cabs painted yellow. However not all licensed taxis are painted yellow. Taxis are allowed to wait at designated taxi/cabs ranks. There are several companies with desks located at the airport domestic and international arrivals halls. Users of the airports are encouraged to use the official taxi for their security. If you have pre-arranged transfer services, kindly look for your driver outside the arrivals hall gate. Drivers are not allowed inside the arrivals hall.
Safety Tips to secure a taxi at the airports:
- The best to avoid confusion at the airport is to pre-book your airport transfer (taxi/cabs)using the recommended and known taxi companies. Pre-booking and paying for your transfers ahead of your travel allows you to get the best fares and a guarantee that there will be someone waiting for you on the other end of the journey.
- Ignore offers of transportation from solicitors in the terminal. Soliciting of ground transportation by drivers at the airports is illegal and many illegal solicitors are unlicensed and uninsured.
- Some drivers might persuade you to use their services and advice you that your driver is not there waiting, kindly avoid such.
- To obtain ground transportation information, please visit some of the tables or Taxi company offices.
- Ignore unidentified people offering to assist with baggage. If you see a person behaving in unbecoming manner, report them to the airport officials or the police.
Important Tips:
- You can pay by local currency or using the known global currencies
- Tipping is customary for good service. But it is not mandatory. Do not feel obliged to tip and no taxi/cabs driver should force you.
- Taxis fares depend on various destinations and different towns.
- Fares of private taxi/cabs are per vehicle and not per person.
- Please take your receipt after the journey.
- Drivers will tend to overcharge non locals, it’s good to know the estimates ahead of travel.
- Price is negotiated between passenger and taxi/cabs driver at the start of the trip.
- You may need to secure a local telephone line to communicate to your driver with ease.
Ground transportation using hotel or safari companies
Some hotels provide transfers to their booked clients upon requests. You may need to compare the transfer fares of the hotels and independent providers. If your airport transfers is part of a pre-arranged safari, your driver will be waiting for you outside the arrivals hall. Public Transport is also available from the Airport Bus terminal.
Looking to plan your next adventure? Check out this travel agency website for great deals on airport pickup services, hotels, and tour activities.
Ride to and from Nairobi Airport with Uber.
Ride to and from Nairobi Airport with Uber. Instead of waiting for the NBO shuttle or taxi, you can request a ride directly in the app and be on your way.
+254 20-822111
Pickup at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO)
Open your app to request a ride
When you’re ready, open your app to request a ride. Choose the option that suits your group size and luggage needs.
Follow directions in the app
You’ll get directions about pickup points directly in the app. Signs might also be available at the airport.
Meet your driver
Go to your assigned pickup location as specified by the app. Please note, this location may not always be at your nearest exit. If you can’t find your driver, contact them through the app.
Public Transport
Kenya has a network of long distance bus lines. Speed is limited to 80km/h. Local buses in town are run by private companies, such as the green and yellow Citi Hoppa, which provide transportation for an inexpensive fee. They have regular services in and out of the Nairobi city suburbs. They usually seat 20-35 passengers (no standing passengers allowed by law).
Bus to Nairobi
From the airport’s bus station halfway between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, buses run in the direction of Nairobi, bus number 34 operated by Citi Hoppa connects the airport with the centre of the city. The buses can be recognised by the green and yellow colours and are slightly larger than “matatu” buses that you encounter everywhere in Kenya. Bus number 34 runs every 20 to 30 minutes towards the city centre and Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta Airport. Numerous buses departing from the airport follow the route of bus number 34, even though the number of the bus is different. You can ask the bus driver whether the bus goes to CBD Central Business District.
The journey time to the Kencom/Ambassador bus stop is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, this bus stop is located in the centre of the city close to Hilton Hotel Nairobi, Kencom House and Kenya National Archives & Documentation Service (KNADS). The buses operated by Citi Hoppa make many stops, that’s why it takes quite long to reach the city centre. Only if the bus is fully occupied and no one wants to get off, bus stops will be skipped and a journey takes a little shorter. The last bus from the airport leaves around 21:00 hours, the first bus from the city around 06:00 hours. Tickets are available from the bus driver, the price is 100 KES one way. Please consult website Citi Hoppa for more information.
Rental Services
Most worldwide rental agencies have offices in Nairobi and Mombasa, and these offer expensive but reliable cars with a full back-up network. One can also rent cheaper cars from local distributors who are mostly reliable.
Looking to plan your next adventure? Check out this travel agency website for great deals on airport pickup services, hotels, and tour activities.
Train / Nairobi Commuter Rail to Nairobi
Since December 2020, it is also possible to travel by train service JKIA Express from the airport to Nairobi, even though the airport does not have its own train station. From Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 you can take the shuttle bus to Embakasi Village railway station via Airport South Road, Taj Mall Roundabout and Airport North Road. The BRT Bus Rapid Transit shuttle buses are operated by Nairobi Commuter Rail and are only accessible to rail passengers. A bus ride takes 15 minutes, from Embakasi Village it is a 20 to 25 minutes train ride to Nairobi Central. JKIA Express (Airport Express Train) runs every day of the week between 05:00 hours and 21:00 hours, but unfortunately not that often. The frequency will be increased in the future. A ticket for the shuttle bus costs 50 SEK. The price for a train ticket is 100 SEK, which can be bought at Embakasi Village train station and from the conductor. Please consult website Kenya Railways for more information.
Train / Madaraka Express to Mombasa
Nairobi Terminus railway station where you can catch a train to the port city of Mombasa is located 6 kilometres / 3.7 miles southwest of the airport, The Madaraka Express train runs three times per day between Nairobi Terminus and Mombasa Terminus, you can choose between the direct train (travel time: 5 hours) and commuter train (travel time: 6 hours). The commuter rail stops at the stations Athi River, Emali, Kibwezi, Mtito Andei, Voi, Miasenyi and Mariakani. The price for a train ticket from Nairobi to Mombasa or vice versa is 1,000 KES (Economy Class) or 3,000 KES (First Class). Tickets must be purchased some time in advance via the Kenya Railways website. The 480-kilometre railway line that runs through Tsavo National Park is partly funded by the Chinese government. The Madaraka Express replaced the old railway line “Lunatic Express”, this train service ceased operations in 2017. Please consult website Kenya Railways for more information.
