Nairobi is preparing to develop its first modern metro railway system as part of plans to reduce traffic congestion and improve public transport across the city.
Phase I of the Nairobi Metropolitan Mass Rapid Transit System will introduce an underground railway core serving the Central Business District and a high-capacity Eastlands Line connecting the city centre with residential and commercial areas in eastern Nairobi.
This Metros Kenya guide follows the proposed metro routes, stations, construction plans, funding, opening timelines and expected connections with commuter trains, BRT services, buses and matatus.
Quick Navigation — Nairobi Metro Project
Nairobi Metro Overview | CBD Underground Line | Eastlands Metro Line | Proposed Stations | Future Metro Lines | Connections | Cost and Funding | Construction Timeline | Commuter Impact
Nairobi Metro Project Overview
The Nairobi Metropolitan Mass Rapid Transit System is a proposed high-capacity urban railway network intended to transform public transport within Nairobi and the surrounding metropolitan area.
The Nairobi County Executive approved the implementation framework for Phase I of the project in July 2026.
Phase I is built around two principal components:
- A CBD underground railway core
- A high-capacity Eastlands Line
The project is being developed through cooperation between the Nairobi City County Government, the national government and the Executive Office of the President.
The system is intended to provide faster, safer, cleaner and more predictable public transport while reducing Nairobi’s dependence on private vehicles and road-based commuter services.
Nairobi CBD Underground Metro Line
The CBD underground core will form the central section of the Nairobi metro network.
Status: Approved for phased development; not yet under passenger operation.
Proposed alignment: Underground railway serving Nairobi CBD and surrounding commercial, government, medical and transport districts.
The underground line is intended to preserve limited surface space within central Nairobi while providing high-capacity public transport beneath the city.
Building the central section underground would reduce the need to acquire large amounts of developed land or construct elevated infrastructure along some of Nairobi’s busiest streets.
Areas expected to be served by the underground line
The detailed station list has not yet been officially confirmed for passengers. However, the underground core is expected to serve or connect important areas including:
- Nairobi Central Railway Station
- Muthurwa
- Nairobi CBD
- City Hall and government offices
- Parliament and adjoining government districts
- Kenyatta Avenue
- University Way
- Museum Hill
- Upper Hill
- Kenyatta National Hospital
- Westlands
These locations should be treated as indicative until the government publishes the final alignment and approved station names.
Purpose of the CBD underground line
The underground line is intended to:
- Reduce traffic congestion within Nairobi CBD
- Connect major employment and commercial districts
- Improve access to government offices and public institutions
- Provide connections with commuter trains and BRT services
- Reduce pressure on matatu and bus termini
- Preserve surface space for pedestrians and public amenities
- Shorten travel times across central Nairobi
- Support cleaner, electric mass transportation
Nairobi Eastlands Metro Line
The Eastlands Line will provide a direct high-capacity connection between Nairobi CBD and densely populated neighbourhoods in eastern Nairobi.
Status: Approved as part of Phase I; not yet operational.
Proposed route: Nairobi CBD → Muthurwa → Eastlands.
The line is expected to be mostly elevated outside the CBD, although some sections could use ground-level, underground or other protected railway infrastructure depending on the final engineering design.
Areas expected to be served by the Eastlands Line
The final route and stations have not yet been officially published for passengers. Areas discussed as possible parts of the wider Eastlands metro corridor include:
- Muthurwa
- City Stadium
- Jericho
- Buruburu
- Donholm
- Umoja
- Kayole
- Komarock
- Eastleigh
- Kariobangi
- Dandora
- Savannah
- Fedha
- Embakasi
Some of these locations could be served by branches, feeder services or later phases rather than the initial line.
Passengers should not assume that every area listed will receive a station during Phase I.
Purpose of the Eastlands Line
The Eastlands Line is intended to:
- Connect Eastlands directly with Nairobi CBD
- Reduce travel time for commuters
- Provide an alternative to congested roads
- Reduce pressure on Jogoo Road and other Eastlands corridors
- Improve access to employment, education and public services
- Support connections with matatus and feeder buses
- Create organised interchange stations
- Reduce emissions from road-based transport
Proposed Nairobi Metro Stations
The complete official list of Nairobi metro stations has not yet been released for passengers.
Reported preliminary plans indicate that Phase I could include stations serving the underground CBD core and multiple Eastlands destinations. However, station names, locations and numbers may change following engineering studies, public participation and detailed design work.
Metros Kenya will create individual station guides when the government officially confirms:
- Station names
- Exact locations
- Entrances and exits
- Opening dates
- Operating hours
- Fares
- Accessibility features
- Matatu connections
- BRT connections
- Commuter railway connections
- Pedestrian and cycling access
Possible Nairobi Metro Interchange Stations
Several major transport locations could become important interchange points within the future metro network.
Nairobi Central Railway Station
Nairobi Central Railway Station could provide connections between:
- Nairobi metro services
- Nairobi Commuter Rail
- The SGR Link Train
- BRT services
- Matatus and buses
- Nairobi Railway City
- Walking and cycling routes
Muthurwa Transport Area
Muthurwa could provide connections between the metro and public transport services serving Eastlands, Jogoo Road, Landhies Road and surrounding neighbourhoods.
Kenyatta National Hospital and Upper Hill
A station serving this area could connect the metro with hospitals, universities, government offices, businesses and BRT services.
Westlands
A Westlands connection could serve businesses, shopping centres, hotels, residential neighbourhoods and public transport services operating along Waiyaki Way.
Donholm and Outer Ring Road
A Donholm interchange could connect the Eastlands Metro Line with matatus, buses and the proposed Outer Ring Road BRT corridor.
All interchange locations remain subject to final route and station approval.
Future Nairobi Metro Lines
Planning for later phases is expected to expand the metro beyond the CBD and Eastlands.
Possible future corridors include:
Nairobi CBD–Westlands Metro Extension
Proposed connection: Nairobi CBD → Museum Hill → Westlands.
The extension would provide a high-capacity railway connection between central Nairobi and the Westlands commercial district.
Nairobi CBD–Ngong Road Metro Extension
Proposed connection: Nairobi CBD → Upper Hill → Adams Arcade → Junction → Ngong Road corridor.
The line would serve major residential, educational, commercial and medical destinations southwest of the CBD.
Nairobi CBD–Lang’ata Road Metro Extension
Proposed connection: Nairobi CBD → Nairobi West → Lang’ata Road.
The corridor could provide connections towards Lang’ata, Bomas, Karen and surrounding neighbourhoods.
Nairobi Metro Connection Towards Ongata Rongai
A later extension could improve public transport for commuters travelling between Nairobi, Lang’ata, Bomas and Ongata Rongai.
Nairobi Metro Connection Towards Ngong
A future corridor could connect with Ngong Road, Ngong Town and the developing Riruta–Ngong commuter railway.
These future lines have not yet been approved for passenger operations, and their final alignments remain subject to planning and funding.
Connections With Nairobi Commuter Rail
The proposed metro is different from the existing Nairobi Commuter Rail network.
Nairobi Commuter Rail currently uses conventional trains operating from Nairobi Central Railway Station towards:
- Embakasi Village
- Syokimau
- Limuru
- Lukenya
- Ruiru
- Nairobi SGR Terminus
The metro is intended to provide higher-frequency urban services through the CBD and densely populated city corridors.
Passengers could eventually transfer between metro and commuter trains at integrated stations.
Connections With Nairobi BRT
The metro is expected to connect with Nairobi’s planned Bus Rapid Transit network.
Possible integration would allow passengers to transfer between:
- The CBD underground metro
- The Eastlands Metro Line
- BRT Line 2 on the Thika Road corridor
- BRT Line 3 between Dandora, CBD and Ngong
- BRT Line 4 between Eastlands, CBD and Kikuyu
- BRT Line 5 along Outer Ring Road
Integrated stations could reduce the need for passengers to make long or unsafe walks between different public transport services.
Connections With Matatus and Buses
Matatus and ordinary buses will remain important to Nairobi’s public transport network after the metro is introduced.
They are expected to provide feeder and last-mile services connecting residential neighbourhoods with metro stations.
Possible feeder arrangements could include:
- Matatus carrying passengers from estates to metro stations
- Shorter local routes serving areas without direct metro access
- Organised interchange stages near stations
- Bus services connecting neighbouring metropolitan counties
- Improved passenger information and route signage
The introduction of the metro may cause some matatu routes to change, shorten or focus more heavily on feeder services.
However, the metro is unlikely to eliminate matatus because Nairobi’s neighbourhoods require extensive last-mile transport coverage.
Connections With Nairobi Railway City
Nairobi Railway City is a major urban-regeneration project centred around Nairobi Central Railway Station.
The project is intended to transform the station and surrounding railway land into a modern transport, commercial, residential and public-service district.
It could become one of the most important interchange centres in the Nairobi metro system by connecting:
- Underground metro services
- Eastlands metro services
- Nairobi Commuter Rail
- The SGR Link Train
- BRT services
- Matatus and buses
- Pedestrian and cycling routes
The Railway City development and the metro project are related but separate programmes.
Nairobi Metro Cost and Funding
Phase I of the Nairobi metro has been estimated to require approximately US$7.8 billion, equivalent to more than KSh1 trillion depending on the exchange rate.
The estimated cost includes major components such as:
- Underground and elevated civil infrastructure
- Metro stations
- Railway systems and signalling
- Trains and depot equipment
- Utilities and associated works
- Passenger information systems
- Safety and security infrastructure
- Pedestrian and interchange facilities
The final cost could change following detailed engineering, procurement, financing negotiations and construction.
The project is expected to require cooperation between the national government, Nairobi County, development partners and private investors.
A public-private partnership model has been discussed as one possible delivery arrangement.
How the Nairobi Metro Could Generate Revenue
Passenger fares are expected to be an important source of revenue, but the project may also use non-fare income.
Possible revenue sources include:
- Passenger fares
- Advertising within trains and stations
- Retail shops inside stations
- Commercial development around stations
- Property development
- Office and residential developments
- Parking and interchange facilities
- Naming and commercial partnerships
- Transit-oriented development
Using several revenue sources could reduce the system’s dependence on passenger fares alone.
Nairobi Metro Construction Timeline
Phase I has received approval at the implementation-framework stage, but regular construction and passenger operations have not yet begun across the complete network.
A completion target around 2034 has been reported for the first metro lines. However, this should be treated as an indicative target rather than a guaranteed opening date.
Before construction begins, the project will require:
- Public participation
- Environmental and social assessments
- Detailed engineering designs
- Confirmation of station locations
- Land and utility planning
- Financing agreements
- Procurement of contractors
- Coordination between national and county agencies
- Traffic-management and construction plans
The government has not yet announced a confirmed passenger-service opening date.
Expected Construction Disruptions
Construction of underground and elevated railway infrastructure could temporarily affect roads, businesses, pedestrians and public transport services.
Possible disruptions include:
- Lane closures
- Road diversions
- Relocation of matatu stages
- Utility relocation
- Noise and dust
- Restricted pedestrian access
- Temporary business-access changes
- Increased traffic around construction sites
Detailed disruption plans will depend on the final route and station locations.
Expected Commuter Benefits
If completed successfully, the Nairobi metro could provide significant benefits to commuters.
These could include:
- Shorter travel times
- More predictable journeys
- Reduced dependence on traffic conditions
- Higher passenger capacity
- Safer boarding and alighting
- Improved accessibility
- Better connections between transport systems
- Reduced road congestion
- Lower vehicle emissions
- Improved access to employment and education
Environmental Benefits
The metro is expected to use electric railway technology rather than diesel-powered road vehicles.
Possible environmental benefits include:
- Lower transport emissions
- Reduced air pollution
- Lower noise levels than road traffic
- Reduced private-car dependence
- More efficient use of urban land
- Support for walking and cycling
- Transit-oriented urban development
The actual environmental impact will depend on construction practices, electricity sources and passenger usage.
Will the Nairobi Metro Replace Matatus?
The Nairobi metro is not expected to replace the entire matatu network.
Metro trains will operate along high-demand corridors, while matatus will continue serving neighbourhoods, local roads and destinations outside the railway network.
Some matatu routes may become feeder services carrying passengers to and from metro stations.
The strongest public transport system would integrate metro trains, commuter rail, BRT, buses, matatus, walking and cycling rather than treating them as entirely separate services.
Will the Nairobi Metro Be Underground Everywhere?
No.
The central CBD section is planned as an underground railway core. The Eastlands Line is expected to be mostly elevated or built using other protected railway infrastructure.
Later metro lines could use a combination of:
- Underground tunnels
- Elevated viaducts
- Ground-level protected tracks
- Existing transport corridors
The final design will depend on land availability, engineering requirements, cost and environmental considerations.
Are Nairobi Metro Trains Operating?
No.
Nairobi does not currently have an operational underground metro system.
The existing railway services are Nairobi Commuter Rail, the Madaraka Express, SGR services and other Kenya Railways passenger trains.
The Nairobi metro remains a development project.
Have Nairobi Metro Fares Been Announced?
No official metro passenger fares have been published.
Fares will depend on the operating model, distance travelled, government policy, funding arrangements and integration with other public transport systems.
Any fare figures circulating before an official announcement should be treated as estimates.
Have All Nairobi Metro Stations Been Confirmed?
No.
The government has confirmed the broad Phase I structure—the CBD underground core and Eastlands Line—but the complete final station list has not been officially published for passengers.
Metros Kenya will update this guide when station names and locations are formally approved.
Important Nairobi Metro Notice
The Nairobi metro is a proposed mass-transit system and is not yet available for passenger travel.
Routes, stations, project costs, construction dates and opening timelines may change as the project progresses through public participation, engineering, financing and procurement.
Passengers should continue using existing matatus, buses, BRT pilot services and Nairobi Commuter Rail until official metro operations begin.
Metros Kenya will continue monitoring the project and updating this guide as new information becomes available.
