Route 39 serves commuters travelling between Nairobi and Ruai, with the service also covering sections of the Eastern Bypass corridor.

For passengers, the important thing to recognise is that Route 39 belongs to Nairobi’s wider eastern commuter network. It can serve passengers heading to Ruai as well as those whose destinations lie along the sections of the Eastern Bypass covered by the service.

For other Nairobi matatu numbers and destinations, commuters can use the Metros Kenya route database.

Browse All Nairobi Matatu Routes and Numbers

What Route 39 Serves

The simplest description of the service is:

Nairobi → Ruai → Eastern Bypass corridor

The available route information identifies Ruai and sections of the Eastern Bypass as the principal service areas.

Because a complete sequence of intermediate stages has not been established for this particular Route 39 service, passengers should confirm their specific destination with the conductor rather than assuming additional stops.

Route 39 and the Growth of Eastern Nairobi

Ruai and the areas surrounding the Eastern Bypass have developed into an increasingly important part of Nairobi’s metropolitan commuter network.

For passengers living or working in these areas, services such as Route 39 provide connections between established Nairobi transport networks and neighbourhoods farther east.

This also means Route 39 shouldn’t be thought of only as a CBD-to-Ruai service.

Some passengers may use it for shorter movements within the wider corridor.

Travelling to Ruai

Ruai is the main destination associated with Route 39.

Passengers heading there should look for the complete combination:

39 + RUAI

rather than relying solely on the direction in which a matatu is travelling.

This matters because several matatu routes serve eastern Nairobi, and vehicles travelling in broadly the same direction may eventually branch towards different destinations.

The Eastern Bypass Connection

The Eastern Bypass is the other defining feature of Route 39.

Rather than being a single destination, the bypass is a long transport corridor connecting several parts of the eastern Nairobi metropolitan area.

Passengers whose destination is somewhere along the bypass should therefore know the specific stage, junction or landmark they require.

When boarding Route 39, tell the conductor that destination and confirm that the particular vehicle serves it.

Route 39 and Route 38/39 Are Worth Distinguishing

Metros also documents Route 38/39 to Ruai, which is associated with the Eastlands–Kangundo Road–Njiru–Ruai corridor and connections towards the Eastern Bypass.

Route 39 should remain a separate database entry because the supplied information identifies it specifically with:

Ruai + sections of the Eastern Bypass corridor.

Passengers should not automatically assume that Route 39 and Route 38/39 have identical stopping patterns merely because both are associated with Ruai.

That distinction becomes increasingly useful as the route database grows.

Using Route 39 for Intermediate Trips

A passenger does not necessarily need to travel the entire route.

Route 39 may also be useful for journeys between Ruai and served sections of the Eastern Bypass.

However, because the exact stop-by-stop sequence has not been specified for this service, commuters should confirm whether their particular destination is covered.

This is preferable to presenting an unverified list of stages.

Returning From Ruai Towards Nairobi

Route 39 also serves passengers travelling in the opposite direction from the Ruai/Eastern Bypass side towards Nairobi.

The general return movement can be understood as:

Ruai / Eastern Bypass corridor → Nairobi

Morning services towards Nairobi may experience stronger commuter demand, while outbound services can become busier later in the day.

Traffic conditions along connecting roads can also influence overall journey time.

Route 39 Fare Guidance

The fare depends on the passenger’s boarding point, destination and conditions at the time of travel.

Passengers travelling a shorter section of the Eastern Bypass corridor may be charged differently from those making the longer journey towards or from Nairobi.

Fares vary and can change at any time. Confirm the current amount before boarding.

Route 39 Commuter Card

Route 39 in brief

Route 39 — Nairobi ↔ Ruai / Eastern Bypass

For this route, Ruai and Eastern Bypass are the important identifiers. Keeping the article focused on those two elements also helps distinguish Route 39 from the separate Route 38/39 Ruai service in the Metros Kenya database.