List of All Nairobi Matatu Routes and Their Assigned Numbers

Nairobi Matatus
A souped up PSV in the vibrant Matatu Culture in Nairobi, Kenya. (file image)

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.

Nairobi Matatus
A graffiti-styled Matatu in the streets of Nairobi City (file image)

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)

Nairobi Matatus
Nairobi street life is embodied in the colorful graffiti on Matatus - Gangsta/HipHop Culture (file image)

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

Nairobi Matatus
Culture and livelihood comes alive on the streets of Nairobi, via the popular Matatu vans. (file image)

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

Nairobi Matatus
A Matatu attendant, popularly know on Nairobi streets as 'Concordi' on duty (file image)

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