Getting around · Nairobi · Kenya
Getting around Nairobi
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Nairobi is spread out and traffic is heavy, so most visitors move by ride-hailing apps or with a hired driver rather than on foot. The tolled Nairobi Expressway, opened in 2022, links the airport with Westlands on an elevated road, and matatus (shared minibuses) cover the whole city for very little money. Not in the city: ride-hailing and hired drivers are easier than driving in heavy traffic.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Ride-hailing
- Airports
- NBO, WIL
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
Ways to get around
Ride-hailing
Uber, Bolt and local apps are widely used and usually cheaper than hotel taxis; they are the easiest way to cross the city, including at night.
Check the plate number before getting in, and keep phones out of sight at open windows in slow traffic.
Taxi
Hotel and airport taxis are reliable but pricier than apps; agree the fare before you set off, as meters are rarely used.
Car
Hiring a car with a driver for a day is a common way to combine Karen and Langata sights; safari operators provide vehicles and driver-guides for park visits.
Bus
Matatus are privately run minibuses, often painted with elaborate artwork and playing loud music, that run fixed routes from CBD stages. They are cheap and a cultural experience, but crowded and not suited to luggage.
Ride matatus by day with small change, and keep bags on your lap.
Train
The Madaraka Express standard-gauge railway runs from Nairobi Terminus near the airport to Mombasa in about 5–6 hours, passing Tsavo's plains where wildlife is sometimes visible from the window.
Walking
Walking works within the CBD, Westlands or a mall complex by day, but pavements are uneven and distances between sights are long; avoid walking after dark.
From the airport
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) is about 18 km south-east of the CBD; taxis and ride-hailing cars take 30–60 minutes, and the Nairobi Expressway can cut the run to Westlands to about 20 minutes outside peak hours. Wilson Airport (WIL), about 5 km south of the centre on Langata Road, handles light-aircraft flights to the Maasai Mara, Amboseli and other safari airstrips.
Do you need a car?
Not in the city: ride-hailing and hired drivers are easier than driving in heavy traffic. For safaris, most visitors travel with an operator's vehicle and driver-guide; self-drive is possible but park tracks and navigation take experience.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Naivasha and Crescent Island | About 2 hours by road | Car with driver or tour, via the Rift Valley escarpment viewpoint |
| Hell's Gate National Park | About 2 hours by road | Car with driver or tour; combine with Lake Naivasha |
| Ngong Hills | About 1 hour by road | Car with driver, then a guided ridge hike |
| Lake Nakuru National Park | About 3 hours by road | Car with driver or tour |
| Amboseli National Park | About 4–5 hours by road; best overnight | Safari vehicle via Namanga, or a light-aircraft flight from Wilson |
| Maasai Mara National Reserve | About 1 hour by air; 5–6 hours by road | Light aircraft from Wilson Airport, or safari vehicle |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Nairobi?
Not in the city: ride-hailing and hired drivers are easier than driving in heavy traffic. For safaris, most visitors travel with an operator's vehicle and driver-guide; self-drive is possible but park tracks and navigation take experience.
+How do you get from the airport to Nairobi?
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) is about 18 km south-east of the CBD; taxis and ride-hailing cars take 30–60 minutes, and the Nairobi Expressway can cut the run to Westlands to about 20 minutes outside peak hours. Wilson Airport (WIL), about 5 km south of the centre on Langata Road, handles light-aircraft flights to the Maasai Mara, Amboseli and other safari airstrips.
+What is the best way to get around Nairobi?
Ride-hailing: Uber, Bolt and local apps are widely used and usually cheaper than hotel taxis; they are the easiest way to cross the city, including at night.