Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) is one of Nairobi’s busiest public transport destinations, with thousands of patients, visitors, medical workers and students travelling to the hospital and surrounding Upper Hill area every day.

For passengers travelling from Nairobi CBD to Kenyatta National Hospital, Route 7C is one of the best-known public transport services associated with the hospital. Other matatus operating through the KNH and Mbagathi Way corridor can also provide access depending on where a passenger boards and their exact destination.

This Metros Kenya guide explains the main matatu options, where to connect, the KNH transport corridor and what passengers should know before travelling.

Explore the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) Transport Guide

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Nairobi CBD to KNH Quick Information

Which Matatu Goes From Nairobi CBD to KNH?

Route 7C is traditionally one of the principal public transport routes associated with travel between Nairobi CBD and Kenyatta National Hospital.

The service connects central Nairobi with the Community, Upper Hill and KNH area, making it particularly useful for passengers whose destination is the hospital rather than neighbourhoods farther along Mbagathi Way. Historical Nairobi route documentation identifies 7C specifically with the KNH–city-centre connection.

Passengers should look for vehicles displaying destinations such as:

7C – KNH

or ask the conductor whether the vehicle goes to Kenyatta National Hospital before boarding.

Where to Board a Matatu to KNH in Nairobi CBD

Route 7C has historically been associated with the Kencom/Moi Avenue area for passengers travelling towards KNH.

However, CBD loading points can change because of county traffic arrangements, stage relocations and operator decisions.

Passengers should therefore ask specifically for:

“7C KNH”

or:

“Matatu ya Kenyatta Hospital?”

rather than assuming that every Upper Hill or Mbagathi vehicle uses the same CBD stage.

For more information about Nairobi’s major boarding areas:

Explore Nairobi Bus Stations, Matatu Stages & Termini

Nairobi CBD to KNH Route

The Route 7C journey can generally be understood as:

Nairobi CBD → Community/Upper Hill → Kenyatta National Hospital

The precise streets used can vary according to traffic management and operator arrangements.

Passengers should tell the conductor that they are travelling to KNH, particularly if they are unfamiliar with the Upper Hill area.

Route 7C and Kenyatta National Hospital

Route 7C has a long association with KNH.

Historically, Nairobi had a longer Route 7 connecting Kenyatta National Hospital through the city centre towards Jericho, while 7C operated as the shorter KNH–city centre service.

That history helps explain why Route 7C remains closely associated with Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi’s route-number system.

For passengers specifically travelling from the CBD to KNH, it can therefore be easier to identify a KNH/7C service than to board a vehicle whose primary destination is Ngumo or another neighbourhood farther along the Mbagathi corridor.

Other Matatus Serving the KNH Corridor

Route 7C is not the only public transport option around Kenyatta National Hospital.

Several existing Metros routes use or connect with the wider KNH–Mbagathi Way transport corridor.

Route 40 – Mbagathi / Ngumo

Route 40 connects Nairobi CBD with Mbagathi and Ngumo through the Kenyatta National Hospital and Mbagathi Way corridor.

View Route 40 Nairobi to Mbagathi and Ngumo

Route 33 – Ngumo

The Ngumo variant of Route 33 also connects Nairobi CBD with Ngumo through KNH and Mbagathi Way.

View Route 33 Nairobi to Ngumo

Passengers should be particularly careful with Route 33, because the number is also used by services travelling towards Embakasi, Pipeline and Fedha.

For KNH, passengers need the Ngumo/KNH/Mbagathi variant, not an Eastlands-bound Route 33.

What About Route 16?

Route 16 primarily connects Nairobi CBD with Nyayo Highrise through Lang’ata Road and Mbagathi Way.

It provides access to the wider Mbagathi and KNH area but should not be confused with a dedicated CBD-to-KNH service.

View Route 16 Nairobi to Nyayo Highrise

If the passenger’s sole destination is Kenyatta National Hospital, it makes more sense to first ask for a direct KNH service.

KNH, Upper Hill and Community

One reason the KNH transport network can appear complicated is that the hospital sits close to Upper Hill and Community, which have their own substantial commuter flows.

Some services therefore serve several destinations within the same general area.

Passengers travelling to KNH should not simply ask for “Upper Hill” because the vehicle’s final route may leave them some distance from the hospital entrance they require.

Always specify:

Kenyatta National Hospital / KNH

when speaking to the conductor.

KNH and Mbagathi Way

Kenyatta National Hospital is also an important gateway into the Mbagathi Way public transport corridor.

From around KNH, passengers can continue towards destinations including:

Mbagathi, Mbagathi Hospital, Nyayo Highrise, Kenyatta Market and Ngumo.

The existing Metros transport database identifies Route 16, Route 33 Ngumo and Route 40 among the principal services associated with this corridor.

Passengers continuing beyond KNH should therefore choose a matatu according to their final destination, rather than simply boarding the first vehicle marked KNH.

KNH as a Public Transport Interchange

KNH is more than a hospital destination.

Its location between Upper Hill and Mbagathi Way makes the area useful for passengers transferring between different parts of southern and central Nairobi.

For example, the existing Upper Hill–Ngumo connection uses KNH as the principal interchange between Upper Hill and services continuing along Mbagathi Way towards Ngumo, Highrise and Mbagathi.

Explore Upper Hill to Ngumo via KNH and Mbagathi Way

This interchange role will become particularly important as Metros builds individual guides explaining how passengers from different Nairobi neighbourhoods can reach KNH.

Returning From KNH to Nairobi CBD

For the return journey, passengers should look for a Nairobi CBD-bound service from the recognised stages serving the hospital area.

The general journey is:

KNH → Community/Upper Hill connection → Nairobi CBD

Passengers should confirm where the vehicle terminates in the CBD because different operators may use different central stages.

If Route 7C is unavailable at the time of travel, a CBD-bound service from the KNH/Mbagathi corridor may provide an alternative.

Nairobi CBD to KNH Travel Time

There is no reliable fixed journey time between Nairobi CBD and Kenyatta National Hospital.

Travel time can be affected by:

• CBD congestion
• Upper Hill traffic
• traffic around KNH
• Mbagathi Way congestion
• weather
• road incidents
• hospital peak periods

Passengers travelling for a medical appointment should allow additional time rather than planning around an exact matatu journey duration.

Nairobi CBD to KNH Matatu Fare

There is no permanently fixed fare that Metros can reliably quote for the journey.

The amount charged can vary depending on the operator, time of day, passenger demand and traffic conditions.

Fares vary and can change at any time.

Passengers should confirm the fare before or immediately after boarding if they are unsure.

Travelling to KNH for a Hospital Appointment

Kenyatta National Hospital is a large medical complex.

Reaching the KNH area does not necessarily mean a passenger has reached the exact clinic, ward, entrance or building they require.

Before travelling, identify the relevant hospital department and ask for the nearest appropriate dropping point.

Allow additional walking and navigation time after reaching the hospital, particularly if you have not visited KNH before.

Connecting to KNH From Other Parts of Nairobi

Nairobi CBD is only one of the origins from which passengers travel to Kenyatta National Hospital.

Metros Kenya’s KNH transport network will also provide individual journey guides for passengers travelling from areas including Kasarani, Ruiru, Umoja, Kayole, Embakasi, Pipeline, South B, South C, Ongata Rongai, Kawangware, Kikuyu and Kitengela.

Explore the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) Transport Guide

As those individual routes are published, the KNH master guide will bring them together into one destination-based public transport database.

Explore Nairobi’s Public Transport Network

Passengers planning journeys involving KNH can also use the wider Metros Kenya commuter database:

View all Nairobi Matatu Routes and Numbers

Explore Nairobi Matatu SACCOs, Routes & Destinations

Explore Nairobi Bus Stations, Matatu Stages & Termini

Explore Nairobi Commuter Rail Routes, Stations & Fares

Explore Nairobi BRT Routes & Bus Rapid Transit

Plan Your Nairobi CBD to KNH Journey

For most passengers starting in central Nairobi, the simplest approach is to first look for a Route 7C or another service specifically serving Kenyatta National Hospital.

Passengers continuing beyond KNH towards Mbagathi, Kenyatta Market or Ngumo can consider services such as Route 40 and Route 33 Ngumo according to their final destination.

The key is to distinguish between KNH as the destination and KNH as an intermediate stop on a longer Mbagathi Way route.

For the complete destination network, use the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) Transport Guide.