You will get to know various Matatu routes stages in Nairobi here. While doing rounds in the great Nairobi City, the most fundamental information you should have is probably where to board a bus back to your residence.
Most of the people who find it difficult to trace their matatu routes and stages are the newbies, those visiting Nairobi for the first time. It is, therefore, necessary to be conversant with the city, bus stations, and various matatu routes or at least walk with someone who is.
Every day, the city receives lots of newcomers from different parts of the country. Most of these are probably young people moving from rural to urban areas in search of job opportunities, education, visiting relatives, or for other purposes. It is not new for people to get lost in town, and cases of city newbies getting misdirected, conned, or stolen from are not new.
The funniest thing about the city is that when you visit for the first time, everything looks familiar; this includes roads, buildings,s and avenues which are the most used landmarks in town. It is therefore difficult for a newbie to differentiate between various buildings and routes to trace where they boarded or alighted a matatu.
Thanks to the digital revolution that has brought utilities like google maps, digital transport companies such as Uber and Bolt, or digital sources of quick information such as websites, apps, and technology firms.
In view of the above, we are going to have a look at various matatu routes in Nairobi and where you can board these matatus to your destination.
Route 1.
Destination: Ngong Road, Junction Mall, Daggoreti Corner.
Stage: General Post Office, Kimathi Street.
Route 2.
Destination: Ngong Road, Valley Road, Citam/N.P.C.
Stage: Kenya Bus Service Stage/General Post Office.
Route 3.
Destination: Adams Arcade, Dagoretti Corner, Ngong Road.
Stage: General Post Office.
Route 4.
Adams, Dagoretti.
Stage: General Post Office/Kencom House.
Route 5.
Destination: Pangani Shopping Centre, Eastleigh, Kariokor Market, and Pangani Girls High School.
Stage: Accra Road, Along Tom Mboya Street/ Tea Room.
Route 7C.
Destination: Upper Hill, Doctors Plaza, Kenyatta National Hospital, Silver Springs Hotel, and Community.
Stage: Kencom, Along Moi Avenue adjacent to Hilton Hotel, board Citi Hoppa or KBS buses.
Route 8.
Destination: Kibera Slums, Toi Market, Adams Arcade, and Ngong Road.
Stage: Railways Bus Station.
Route 9.
Destination: Eastleigh, Pangani Roundabout, Fig Tree Ngara.
Stage: Tom Mboya Street/ Accra Road Entrance.
Route 11.
Destination: South B, Bellevue.
Stage: Railways Bus Station.
Route 15.
Destination: Lang’ata, Wilson Airport, Uhuru Gardens, Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi National Park, and Nairobi Animal Orphanage.
Stage: Nairobi Bus Station/ Opposite Afya Center.
Route 14.
Destination: Nairobi West, T-Mall, Strathmore University.
Stage: Nairobi Bus Station, Behind Afya Centre.
Route 17B.
Destination: Kasarani, Roysambu, Sunton, Mwiki, St Francis Hospital and Thika Road.
Stage: Kenya Bus Station.
Route 23.
Destination: Westlands, Kangemi, ABC Place, Safaricom House, Uhuru Highway.
Stage: Odeon Cinema, off Tom Mboya Street.
Route 24.
Destination: All Lang’ata Routes, Bomas Of Kenya, Kenya School of Law, Nairobi Academy, Karen Shopping Center, Catholic University, CO-OP Bank Training Centre, Hillcrest International School.
Stage: KBS Stage, Kencom or Mfangano Street.
Route 25.
Destination: GSU Flyover, Baba Ndogo.
Stage: Timboroa Lane.
Route 33.
Destination: KNH, Mbagathi, Ngumo Estate, Masai Market.
Stage: Near OTC, Opposite St Peter Claviers Church.
Route 33.
Destination: Jogoo Road Route towards City Stadium, Donholm, Pipeline, Fedha Estate, Avenue Estate, and Tumaini Estate.
Stage: Muthurwa Market or Tom Mboya Street opposite Kenya National Archives.
Route 34.
Destination: Lang’ata, Mbagathi Road, Carnivore, Wilson Airport, T-Mall, and KNH.
Stage: St Peters Church opposite OTC Bus Stop.
Route 34B.
Destination: Jogoo Road, Fedha Estate, Donholm, Pipeline, Embakasi, Utawala and JKIA.
Stage: Kencom/ Ambassador Stage.
Route 35/60.
Destination: Umoja 1 & 2, Umoja Inner Core.
Stage: Ronald Ngara Street, opposite Naivas Supermarket.
Route 44.
Destination: Kahawa West, Farmers Choice, Kamiti Prison, Githurai 44, Zimmerman, USIU, Roysambu, Nothern Bypass.
Stage: Ronald Ngara Street, towards ring road Ngala street.
Route 45.
Destination: Thika Superhighway, Githurai 45.
Stage: Ronald Ngara Street, opposite R&G Plaza.
Route 58.
Destination: Buru Buru.
Stage: Tom Mboya Street, opposite Kenya National Archives.
Route 100.
Destination: Kiambu Town, Kiambu Road, CID, Muthaiga Roundabout, Ridgeways, Rock City.
Stage: Along Ronald Ngala Street, towards Ring Road Ngara or Opposite St Peters Church.
Route 102.
Destination: Ngong Road, Dagoretti, Junction Mall, Kikuyu Town.
Stage: Kenya Bus Station or Kencom.
Route 105.
Westlands, Uhuru Highway-Kikuyu, Uthiru, Kinoo, Kangemi.
Stage: Railways Bus Station or Tom Mboya Street, around National Archives.
Route 106.
Destination: Village Market, Mucatha, Banana, and sometimes Two Rivers Mall.
Stage: Koja Mosque Bus Stop.
Route 111.
Destination: Mlolongo, Kitengela, Athi River.
Stage: Railways Entrance, close to the railway station.
Route 111.
Destination: Ngong Road, Ngong, Dagoretti Corner, and sometimes to Kiserian.
Stage: Railways Bus Station or Kencom Stage.
Route 125/126.
Destination: All Lang’ata Routes, Nairobi National Park, Multimedia University, Catholic University, Brookhouse Schools, Ongata Rongai, Kiserian, and Lang’ata Police Station.
Stage: Railways Bus Station.
Route 146.
Destination: Thika Road, Ruiru, Ruiru Bypass, Kenyatta University, Kahawa Wendani, Kahawa Wendani.
Stage: Mumbi Road, off Ronald Ngala Street or Odeon Cinema Stage Entrance.
Route 237.
Thika Town, Kahawa, Ruiru, Juja, Kimbo, and all estates along Thika Super Highway.
Stage: Odeon Cinema Stage, Commercial Stage, Accra Road opposite National Archives, and Along Tom Mboya Street.
The Matatu Fare prices fluctuate according to time and season. Transport prices are especially hiked during the rush hours which include early morning hours when people are rushing to work and late evening when they are rushing home. Matatu fare prices are also hiked during specific seasons such as Christmas festivities, during the electioneering period, and during the school resumption or school closing days.
Most if not all Matatu Saccos are dedicated to delivering quality services and ensuring passengers arrive at their destination safely and on time. However, some uncertainties cannot be avoided such as traffic jams and vehicle breakdowns. It is also the responsibility of passengers to take care of their luggage and personal belongings such as mobile phones and laptops.
Some matatu conductors are also not friendly and you should avoid colliding with them at all costs. This can be done by ensuring you board the correct matatu route, have some money in cash in case they fail to accept mobile money, and finally, and most importantly ask the amount of fare to pay before boarding any matatu, regardless of how conversant you are with that particular matatu Sacco, its charges and operations.