Uber or Bolt from JKIA runs KES 800 to KES 1,500 off-peak against KES 2,500 for the airport taxi. Take Mombasa Road or the Expressway; the FCDO says avoid the old Airport South Road.
- Uber or Bolt runs KES 800 to KES 1,500 off-peak against KES 2,500 to KES 3,000 at the airport taxi rank - but it surges hard in rush hour.
- Take Mombasa Road or the Nairobi Expressway. The FCDO specifically advises against the old Airport South Road because of carjacking.
- The airport is 18 km from the centre and traffic decides everything - the same trip is 25 minutes or 90.
- Almost every safari flight leaves from Wilson Airport, not JKIA, and Wilson is 20 km across the city - allow three hours between them.
- Wilson's light aircraft enforce a 15 kg soft-bag limit, which is a rule rather than a suggestion.
Jomo Kenyatta (NBO) to Nairobi
| Option | Cost | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uber or Bolt | KES 800 to KES 1,500 off-peak | 30 to 60 min | Surges hard in rush hour, to KES 3,000 and beyond |
| Airport taxi at the rank | KES 2,500 to KES 3,000 to the CBD | 30 to 60 min | Fixed, metered by agreement, always available |
| Hotel transfer | KES 3,500 to KES 5,000 | 30 to 60 min | The calm option on a first night |
| SGR link from Syokimau | from KES 100 | - | Only useful if you are heading straight for the Mombasa train |
- The airport is 18 km from the centre and traffic decides everything. Nairobi congestion is not a joke; the same trip is 25 minutes or 90.
- Take Mombasa Road or the Nairobi Expressway. The FCDO specifically advises against the old Airport South Road because of carjacking.
- The Expressway toll is KES 120 to KES 330 depending on distance, and is included in what a taxi quotes if you ask for it.
- Ride-hailing pickup is from the designated bay, a short walk from arrivals; the driver will call.
The first hour, in order
- Immigration wants your eTA and your passport. There is no visa desk to fall back on.
- ATMs and forex counters are past baggage, and Barclays/Absa and Equity machines are the reliable ones.
- The SIM counter is in the same hall. Buy the SIM and set up M-Pesa before you leave.
- Take some cash but not much: KES 5,000 covers the taxi and the first day.
- Fake taxi touts operate outside the doors. Use the app or the official rank, never the man who approaches you.
Wilson Airport, which is the one nobody expects
- Almost every safari flight leaves from Wilson (WIL), not from JKIA. Mara, Amboseli, Samburu, Lamu, Diani.
- Wilson is 20 km across the city from JKIA, an hour in traffic on a bad morning.
- If you land at JKIA and fly to the Mara the same day, allow three hours between them, or arrange a transfer through your safari operator.
- Wilson's baggage limit is 15 kg in soft bags on the light aircraft, which is a rule the airlines enforce.
Mombasa and the coast
- Moi International (MBA) is 10 km from Mombasa, KES 1,500 to KES 2,500 by taxi.
- Diani has its own airstrip (UKA) and it is much closer than Mombasa to the south coast hotels.
- The Likoni ferry between Mombasa island and the south coast is free for foot passengers and both the FCDO and every local will tell you to be careful in the crowds.
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