Africa-Press – Kenya. The transport system in Nairobi is a nightmare. It’s not uncommon to hear hilarious stories of people sitting in traffic jams for hours – but more confounding is the city’s public transport system.
The public transport sector is dominated by matatus which often have little regard for order – despite the government’s efforts to streamline the industry.
One of the first steps that authorities took was to introduce a numbering system where each route has a number that helps commuters easily trace their destination.
Recently, there’s been a young man caught on tape on Nairobi streets offering newbies directions within the CBD for a fee.
Well, if you are lost in the city and need to know which matatu to take, Kenyans.co.ke has compiled a list of all the Nairobi public transport routes and the estates they serve.
Here is a tallied system of the city’s public transport system from the CBD to the outskirts – estates and beyond, as of July 2021.
1: Town – Karen – Dagoretti Market
2: Town – Dagoretti via Naivasha Road
2B: Town – Dagoretti Market
2C: Town – Naivasha Road – Waithaka – Muthama
3: Town – Kawangware – Uthiru
4: Town – Pumwani – Madiwa – Eastleigh Section III
4C: Town – Adams Arcade – Kinyanjui Road – Kabiria
4W: Town – Adams Arcade – Wanyee Road – Kabiria
5/5C: Town – Adams Arcade – Jamhuri
6: Town – Eastleigh – Likoni Road – Lunga Lunga – Sinai
7: Town – Majengo – Gikomba
7B: Town – Bunyala Rd – Upper Hill – KNH
7C: Town – Community – Upper Hill – KNH
8: Town – Kibera
8B: Town – City Stadium – Bahati – Maringo – Jericho – Buru Ph. 1
9/6: Town – Eastleigh – Garissa
10: Town – Muthurwa – Shauri Moyo
11: Town – Aga Khan – Parklands – Highridge
11A: Town – Ngara – Stima Plaza
11B: Town – South B – Balozi – Hazina
11C: Town – KICD – Pangani
12C: Town – South C – Mugoya – Bellevue (Circular Route)
12D: Town – Mombasa Road – Nextgen – Highway Est. – KPA
14: Town – Kariobangi North
14: Town – Nairobi West – Moi Educational Centre – TMall
14A: Town – Madaraka – Strathmore – Texas Centre
15: Town – Langata – Otiende – St Mary’s Hospital
(For this route, always confirm before boarding – there are various variants)
15/34: KNH – Mbagathi – Langata
16: Town – KNH – Nyayo Highrise – Soweto
17A: Gikomba – Juja Road – Saika – Kayole
17B: Town – Thika Road – Kasarani – Mwiki
18C: Eastleigh – Juja Road – Saika – Komarock
18-62: Eastleigh – Saika – Ruai – Joska
19C: Town – Manyanja – Komarock
19-60: Town – Manyanja – Kayole
20: Roysambu – Mwiki – Kayole Junction – Mama Lucy Hospital
22: Town – Uthiru – UoN Kabete – Ndumbuini
23: Town – Jericho – Harambee – Kariobangi South – Civil Servant
23B: Town – Kangemi – Dagoretti
23C: Town – Regen – Dagoretti
23-30: Town – Westlands – Kangemi
24: Town – Bomas – Hardy – Karen (Circular Route)
25/25A: Town – Allsopps – Baba Dogo – Lucky Summer
26: Jogoo Road – Makadara – Jericho – Kariobangi Rounda
28: Gikomba – Juja Road – Huruma – Kariobangi North
29-30: Town – Survey – Mathare North
30: Town – Westlands – Kangemi – Regen
32: Town – Ayany – Woodley – Kibera
32-42: Town – Dandora
33: Town – Mbagathi – Ngummo
33: Town – Utawala
33A: Town – Embakasi – Gate A – Gate D
33B: Town – Fedha – Nyayo Gate B
34: Town – Mombasa Road – Pipeline – Donholm (Circular Route)
34A: Town – Donholm – Pipeline – JKIA
34B: Town – Donholm – Savannah – Jacaranda
34C: Town – Donholm – Greenfields
35: Town – Umoja (Circular Route)
36: City Stadium – Buruburu – Kariobangi South – Dandora
37/38: Eastleigh – Juja Road – Saika – Njiru – Ruai
39: Town – Njiru – Ruai – Kamulu – Joska – Malaa – Kantafu
40: Town – Mbagathi – Ngummo (yes same as 33)
41: Gikomba – Kayole
43: Town – Thika Road – EABL – Ngumba
44: Town – Zimmerman – Githurai – Kahawa West
45: Town – Thika Road – Githurai
45: Town – Githurai – Kahawa – KU
46: Town – Juja Road – Huruma
46: Town – Hurlingham – Lavington – Kawangware
47A: Town – Kahawa Sukari – Mwihoko
48: Town – Riverside – Kileleshwa
48A: Town – Riverside – Lavington Green
49: Town – Thika Road – Kasarani – Clay City (formerly route 45W)
53: Town – Roasters – Thome – Marurui
56: Town – Kawangware – Macharia Road
58: Town – Buruburu – Mesora
61: City Stadium – Kayole
69/73: Town – Industrial Area – GM – Imara Daima – Mukuru Kwa Njenga
70/71: Muthurwa – Lunga Lunga – Sinai – Donholm
100: Town – Kiambu
101: Kikuyu – Banana
102: Town – Waithaka – Alliance – Kikuyu
103: Kawangware – Uthiru – Kangemi
105: Town – Kinoo – Kikuyu
106: Town – Ruaka – Banana
107: Town – Ruaka – Ndenderu
108: Town – UN – Gachie – Gichagi
110: Town – Mombasa Road – Athi River – Kitengela
111: Town – Ngong Hills
112: Town – Kikuyu – Gikambura
114: Town – Kabuku – Limuru
115: Town – Rironi – Limuru
116: Town – Tigoni – Limuru
117: Town – Syokimau – Katani Road
118: Town – Lower Kabete – Wangige
119: Town – Mwimuto – Wangige
120: Town – Kiambu – Githunguri
122: Town – Kiambu – Inagi
125: Town – Bomas – Ongata Rongai
126: Town – Ongata Rongai – Kiserian
129: Kikuyu – Wangige – Ndenderu
131: Town – Zambezi – Nderi (KARI)
132: Town – Limuru – Kikuyu
133: Town – Kayole – Mihango
134: Town – Isinya – Namanga – Oloitoktok
145: Town – Ruiru
146: Town – Gatundu
160: Town – Kibichoi
201/202: Town – Tala – Kangundo
236: Town – Kenyatta Road – Juja – JKUAT
237: Town – Thika
238: Town – Makongeni – Posta
Well, the unwritten rule for any traveller in Nairobi is to always confirm the destination before boarding any public transport vehicle (PSV).
Some of the PSVs have heavily tinted windows with almost zero visibility outside – so you’ll not be aware of your exact position on the route.
Always speak out to the vehicle’s conductor.
Source: Twitter – Billy Ouko @tweetsbybilly
