Ever been stranded in Nairobi CBD looking for a matatu to take you to your destination, but either you don’t know the matatu route number or the place to pick it from? Each matatu ply set routes and has a specific route number to identify its destination. Matatus within Nairobi CBD have specified temini where they pick and drop off passengers.
New matatu termini
Matatus operating within the Nairobi CBD are required to terminate their journeys outside the city.
Routes | Terminus |
Ngong and Lang’ata roads (Kawangware, Kikuyu, Kibera, Lang’ata, Rongai, Kiserian) | Green Park, popularly known as Railways Club |
Waiyaki Way, Uhuru Highway, Kipande and Limuru roads | Fig Tree at Ngara |
Mombasa Road (South B, South C, Industrial Area, Imara Daima, Athi River, Kitengela, Machakos) | The junction of Bunyala and Workshop Road |
Jogoo and Lusaka roads | Muthurwa |
Long distance PSVs from Mt. Kenya and those from Thika Superhighway | Desai and Park Road |
Old matatu stages
Here are all matatu route numbers, their destinations and stages within Nairobi CBD.
Matatu Route Number | Destination/ Bus-stops | Stage/ Where to the pick matatu in Nairobi CBD |
1 | Ngong Road, Citam/ NPC Valley Road, Junction Mall, Dagoretti | General Post Office (GPO) |
2 | Ngong Road, Citam/ NPC Valley Road, Junction Mall, Dagoretti Kikuyu | GPO or KBS stage |
3 | Ngong Road, Adams Arcade, Dagoretti Corner | GPO |
4 | Ngong Road, Adams, Dagoretti | Kencom or GPO |
6 | Eastleigh Area/ Pangani Girls/ Pangani Shopping CentreKariokor Market | Board the Matatu from Accra Road or Along Tom Mboya Street. They are usually mini-buses and they use the Kariokor market route |
7C | Community, Upper hill Area, Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi Hospital, Doctors Plaza Silver Springs hotel | Board the Citi Hoppa or KBS buses at Kencom House opposite Hilton Hotel along Moi Avenue |
8 | Ngong road, Kibera Slums/Kibra, Adams Arcade, Toi Market | Board the matatu from Railways Bus Station |
9 | Eastleigh AreaNgara Civil Servants Housing Scheme, K.I.EPangani RoundaboutFig Tree Trade Center Ngara | Board the matatu at Tom Mboya StreetThese matatus use the Ngara Route |
11 | South B, Bellevue | Board the matatu from Railways Bus Station |
15 | Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi West & Madaraka (near the road), T-Mall, Wilson Airport, Carnivore Simba Sallon, Uhuru Gardens, Langata Shopping Centre, Otiende, Barracks, Langata Cemetry (on the lower side), Nairobi Safari walk and Nairobi National Park, Nairobi Animal Orphanage | Board the matatu from Bus Station main stage or further from the main stage at waiting matatus opposite Afya Centre |
14 | Langata road upto T-Mall, Strathmore University, Nairobi West | Board Matatu at Bus Station behind Afya Centre |
17B | Thika Road, Thika Super Highway, Roysambu, Kasarani, Santon, Mwiki, St. Francis Hospital | Board the matatu from inside Kenya Bus Station or from outside Bus Station near the St. Peter Claviers Catholic Church |
23 | Kangemi, Westlands, Uhuru Highway, Kangemi, ABC place, Safaricom House and Uhuru Highway | Board the Matatu at Odeon cinema/ Latema Road off Tom Mboya Street |
24 | Karen Shopping Centre, Hardy, all Langata Road routes, Bogani, Bomas of Kenya, Galleria Shopping Mall, Catholic University, Kenya School of Law, Nairobi Academy, Hill Crest International School, Animal protection, Co-op bank training centre, Giraffe Center, Karen C school | Kenya Bus Station, Mfangano Street or main buses at Kencom House Moi Avenue |
25 | Baba Ndogo, Thika Road up to GSU flyover | Board the matatu from Timboroa Lane |
33 | Ngumo Estate, KNH, Mbagathi, Maasai Market | Board the matatu from opposite St. Peter Claviers Catholic church or near OTC/ Salvation Army areas |
33 | Embakasi route, through Jogoo Road, Donholm, City Stadium, Pipeline, Tumaini Estate and Fedha Estate, Avenue Estate | Board the matatu at Muthurwa market or along Tom Mboya Street opposite National Archives |
34 | Langata Area through Mbagathi Road, KNH, T-Mall, Wilson Airport, Carnivore, Langata shopping centre | Board the Matatu from behind St. Peters Clavers Church or Opposite OTC |
34 (buses) | JKIA, Jogoo Road, Embakasi, Fedha, Donholm, Pipeline, Utawala, (Sometimes Mombasa Road) | Board the bus from Kencom or Ambassador stage |
35/60 | Umoja Innercore, Umoja I and Umoja II | Board bus at Ronald Ngala Street, Mfangano Street |
44 | Kahawa West, Kamiti Maximum Prison, Zimmerman, Githurai 44, Roysambu, USIU, Farmers Choice, Northern Bypass | Board bus from Ronald Ngala Street |
45 | Thika Road, Thika Super Highway, Githurai 45 | Board the buses from Ronald Ngala Street |
58 | Buruburu | Board at Tom Mboya Street opposite National Archives |
100 | Kiambu town, Kiambu road, Sharks Palace Kiambu road, CID, Ridgeways, Rock City, Kiambu Road, Muthaiga Roundabout | Pick the matatu along Ronald Ngala Street all the way to Ring-road Ngara or opposite St. Peters Claviers Catholic Church |
102 | Kikuyu Township, Dagoretii, Ngong Road, Junction Mall | Board from Bus Station or Kencom |
105 | Kikuyu via Uhuru Highway, Westlands, Kangemi, Uthiru, Kinoo | Board the matatu along Tom Mboya street near National Archives or from Railways Bus Station |
106 | Banana, Muchatha, Village Market | Koja Mosque stage |
110 | Kitengela, Mlolongo, Athi river | Board from Railways Station at the entrance of near the railways station |
111 | Ngong, Ngong Road, Dagaoretti Corner, (sometimes Kiserian) | Board from Kencom or Railways Bus Station |
125/126 | Ongata Rongai, Kiserian, Bomas of Kenya, Nazarene University, Catholic University, Multimedia University, Nairobi National Park/Orphanage, Safari Walk, Langata Barracks, Galleria, Brookhouse International School, Langata Hospital, Langata Police Station, Langata Cemetry | Board from Railways Bus Station |
146 | Ruiru, Thika Road, Kahawa Wendani, Kahawa Barracks, Kahawa Sukari, Kenyatta University (KU), Ruiru Bypass | Board from Mumbi Lane off Ronald Ngala Street |
237 | Thika town, all routes on Thika Road, Kahawa, Ruiru |