Mombasa here we come...  The sleeper train between Nairobi & Mombasa is ready to leave.  Photo courtesy of Andy Brabin
	Click for an interactive map of train routes in Southern Africa

Taking the train across Kenya...

If you are willing to brave Kenya's cities (see www.fco.gov.uk for advice), the overnight train from Nairobi to Mombasa is the classic and enjoyable way to travel between these cities.  Indeed, spotting big game from the Nairobi-Mombasa night train has always been one of Kenya's great travel experiences, so make sure you include the train in your itinerary.  There's also an overnight train to Kisumu on Lake Victoria.  This page explains all you need to know to take the train around Kenya.

Train times, fares & information...

Nairobi-Mombasa train service  Timetable, fares, how to buy tickets.

Nairobi-Kisumu train service  Timetable, fares, how to buy tickets.

Nairobi-Kampala (Uganda)  Bus service.

Nairobi-Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) & Mombasa-Dar es Salaam  Bus services.

Useful country information - visas, currency, time zone...

Hotels in Nairobi or Mombasa  Hotel search.

On other pages...

Train service Dar es Salaam - Kigoma & Mwanza

Train service Dar es Salaam - Kapiri Mposhi

Train service Kapiri Mposhi - Livingstone (-Victoria Falls)

Train service Victoria Falls - Bulawayo

Train travel in South Africa

Sponsored links...

Useful country information

Nairobi to Mombasa train service

A classic overnight sleeper train called the Jambo Kenya Deluxe links Kenya's capital Nairobi with its second city Mombasa, running twice a week all year round.  The train has 1st class 2-berth sleepers, 2nd class 4-berth sleepers, a restaurant car, and 3rd class seats.   What's the train like?   What's the journey like?   Travellers' reports.

Daily?  3 times a week?  Twice a week?  You can now check the operational status of this train at the Rift Valley Railways website www.riftvalleyrail.com.  The train originally and historically always ran daily, but a few years ago it was reduced to 3 times a week following an accident as they now only have one full set of operational coaches.  In May 2011, it was reduced from three times a week to twice a week (Mon & Fri from Nairobi, Tue & Sun from Mombasa), from 3 August 2011 three-times-a-week service was restored, but from 21 September 2011 until November 2011 it will once again only run twice a week, Mon & Fri from Nairobi, Tues and Suns from Mombasa.  It was temporarily suspended from February to 2nd April 2012, but is now running again, and reportedly back to three times a week.  By all means check the current situation with www.riftvalleyrail.com (select 'Passenger travel' then 'Inter-City') or contact reliable local booking agency www.eastafricashuttles.com/train.htm, email info@eastafricashuttles.com.

Expect an actual arrival around 10:00-11:00.  The train can run late, sometimes hours late, so relax, play safe and don't plan tight connections at the other end!

Nairobi to Mombasa is 530km (329 miles).  Kenya Railways have now been concessioned to a company called Rift Valley Railways.

These are the 2012 fares, except for the 3rd class fare which is the 2011 price as 2012 one not known.  Fares increased in January 2012.  You can check fares at www.riftvalleyrail.com (select 'Passenger travel' then 'Inter-City).

How to buy tickets...

You can easily buy train tickets at the station reservation office at Nairobi or Mombasa.  In Nairobi, enter the station and look for the 'upper class booking office', then go to the counter marked 'Mombasa'.  Alternatively, to be sure of getting a ticket for a specific departure, you can buy tickets in advance through one of these travel agencies:

• www.eastafricashuttles.com/train.htm, you book by e-mail to info@eastafricashuttles.com.  This company gets very good reports, and is recommended.

• www.kujasafaris.com, email info@kujasafaris.com, tel. +254-020-313371.  Kuja Safaris charge a $5 booking fee on top of the normal ticket-office price, but may waive this if you also choose to book hotels, safaris or tours through them.

• www.kenyatrainbooking.com - an interesting site with pictures of the train & the restaurant car food, but no reports from any users yet.

• www.nairobi-mombasa-train-tickets-booking.com.

• Also see www.kenyasafaripackages.com/train.htm, www.wilddreamliners.com & www.kenyatraintravel.com who can also book this train.

At Nairobi station...

Above:  If you want to buy tickets at the station, look for the Upper Class Booking and Ticketing Office, and go to the Mombasa counter.  Photos courtesy of Andy Brabin.

What's the Nairobi-Mombasa train like?

Both the Nairobi-Mombasa "Jambo Kenya Deluxe" and the Nairobi-Kisumu "Port Florence Express" have 1st class 2-berth sleepers, 2nd class 4-berth sleepers, 3rd class seats & a restaurant car serving meals, snacks, drinks & beer.  Advance reservation is required.  As well as the photos below, these short videos give an idea of what the journey is like:   Watch video 1   Watch video 2.

1st class consists of lockable 2-berth compartments which convert from a sitting room with sofa by day to sleeping berths at night.  All necessary bedding is provided and there is a washbasin in the compartment.  Toilets are located just along the corridor, there are both western & African type, kept reasonably clean although the loo seat may be missing!  The 1st class fare includes dinner and breakfast in the restaurant car.  If there are more than 2 of you, you can book two adjacent 1st class sleepers with a communicating door, to make a suite for 3 or 4 passengers, so ask when booking.  Take your own insect repellent, a bottle of mineral water, and toilet paper.  Most westerners travel in first class, and you'll find quite a few western travellers on each Nairobi-Mombasa departure.  The first class sleeping-cars & restaurant car were built in Britain, their external appearance may remind UK travellers of British Rail!  Personal security isn't a huge problem, but do make sure you securely lock your compartment door and close the window at night (using the louvered shutter if you want ventilation).  Wandering hands have been known to come through an open window when the train stops at night!

2nd class consists of lockable 4-berth compartments which also convert between two sofas by day to bunks at night, with washbasin.  As in first class, take your own insect repellent, a bottle of mineral water, and toilet paper.  In 2nd class you'll find one or two western travellers, plus Kenyan middle class travellers.

3rd class consist of basic seats in open-plan carriages.  The bulk of the Kenyan population travels this way, as it's so cheap.

First class sleepers:  The train to Mombasa, about to leave Nairobi.  Photo courtesy of Andy Brabin.		A 2-berth first class sleeper.  Photo courtesy of Andy Brabin.		Each sleeper compartment has a sink.  Courtesy Andy Brabin.

Restaurant car:  The first class fare includes dinner & breakfast in the restaurant car.  White tablecloths on the tables, but note the holes worn in the flooring!  Catering has now been outsourced to a hotel group.  Photos courtesy of Andy Brabin. Typical dinner menu:  Soup of the day;  Choice of marinated roast chicken or beef cubes in mushroom sauce, served with roast potatoes or rice; tropical fruit salad; tea or coffee.  Naturally, you can also obtain Kenyan 'Tusker' beer.

What's the journey like?

Nairobi is 5,453 feet above sea level, and the train descends to the coast, Mombasa being just 59 feet above sea level. In the Mombasa to Nairobi direction, look out for impala, giraffe, ostrich and other game whilst eating breakfast in the restaurant car.

Above left:  Relaxing with a bottle of 'Tusker' in a 1st class 2-berth sleeper on the Nairobi-Mombasa train.  The compartment is shown with berths folded away and sofa folded out. Above right:  The Nairobi-Mombasa express...  Photographs courtesy of David Pinney				Above:  Ready to go!  Photo courtesy of www.crutches4africa.org

Above:  Scenery seen from the Nairobi to Mombasa train.  A new green Rift Valley Railways colour scheme has now replaced the traditional Kenya Railways dark red & cream. Photo courtesy of www.crutches4africa.org

All aboard for Mombasa!		Dinner in the restaurant is included in the fare...		...then retire to your sleeper.
These three photos courtesy of Audrey & Jeroen

Traveller's reports...

Traveller Dave Siviour used both the Nairobi-Mombassa & Nairobi-Kisumu trains in late 2007, and has the following advice:

• I booked our tickets via East Africa Shuttles (thanks for the link!) and they did the bookings as requested and took payment from a standard faxed form with my credit card details.  They delivered the tickets to our hotel which was a help, although on their downside they failed to produce both prearranged transfers to and from the airport which hardly helped confidence for the first visit to a new country!

• The tickets for 1st & 2nd class sleepers need to be checked at the station and a boarding card collected which gives details of the coach number (which is the actual carriage number!) and berth numbers.  The tickets also have a receipt for breakfast and or dinner and this is collected by the steward on the Nairobi-Kisumu train (who is also the sleeping car/bedding attendant) or taken to the restaurant car on the Nairobi-Mombasa service.

• Quoted arrival times are varied, all ticket offices said arrival at both ends would be 'around 1100' and this was true to form on the Nairobi - Mombasa run although whether the Kisumu - Nairobi was considered 'early' after arriving at 1000 is anyone's guess!  I never saw a printed timetable or display at any station. Nobody seemed to mind the late running as it gave a chance to take in the lovely scenery along both routes.

• The condition of the train on the Nairobi-Mombasa route was much better (although they were the same type of carriages) the lights worked throughout and the general repair of the compartments was better. On the Kisumu service there was only one first class sleeper (although to be fair we were the only first class passengers outward and only 2 more on the return) and in this and the second class sleepers the lights gave out around 2 hours into the journey and the 'western' style toilet in both coaches was broken leaving only the 'hole in the floor' type. Sleeper compartments B-C & D-E have interconnecting doors which allows the compartments to open out into two which is quite nice, especially when the compartments are used as 'day coaches' with the late running.

• The food on the Nairobi-Mombasa run is noticeably better, with an extra fish course, better quality and more of it.  Probably because the train is busy enough to have plenty cooked whereas on the Kisumu service as we were the only dinners it was cooked to order and was 'adequate' rather than good.

• The entrance to the platforms at Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu are all guarded by security guards.  Although it didn't stop us wandering willy-nilly onto the platforms it did seem to deter non-travellers, taxi touts and ne-er do wells that seem to hang around station entrances. Mombasa and Nairobi all have left luggage facilities which seem to be open even on the days when trains are not running. Nairobi station has a good station buffet 'platform side'  operated by Rift Valley Railways open all day (even when trains aren't running) serving good quality cheap food.

• On arrival at Kisumu the train from Nairobi detaches two of the three third class 'day coaches' and works a branch service to Buture.  Although it is third class travel, with the locals and their chickens and bags of maize and slow (6 hrs for 140 km round trip) its a lovely branch with fantastic views of Lake Victoria as it climbs into the surrounding mountains.  Although there is no marker to indicate it the line crosses the equator near to Kisumu, as far as I know the only scheduled passenger service to do so.  The 'connection' both ways will always make as the coaches are part of the Nairobi train - there seemed to be no spare coaches at Kisumu.

• Security on trains seems OK with police (armed) travelling on all trains (although not that visible apart from the odd pass through the train). The biggest annoyance is the compartments cannot be locked from the outside, as although there is a lock the sleeping car attendants say they don't have keys.  There is no luggage facility in the restaurant cars so its just a case of keeping you valuables with you.

• On hot evenings the windows have to be kept open to keep some air in the compartment (albeit with a security/mosquito mesh in place). This makes the compartment noisy - ear plugs are recommended.

• Tipping seems to be expected among the service staff.  The steward on the return run from Kisumu was a particularly surly client who made no effort, including claiming there was no coffee on the train until we saw the tins in the kitchen, kicked us out of the restaurant after dinner in the evening at 21:00 even through we wanted some more drinks because 'he wanted to go to bed' and never collected the bedding in the berths until we nearly arrived at Nairobi.  He then made a point of hovvering expecting a tip on arrival until turning his back in disgust when he realised he wasn't going to get one.  The steward on the Mombasa run was more blatant picking up a pack of crayons we were throwing to local lineside kids saying 'I'll have these for my children!'.

• Although security is a perception I found we had no problems (maybe because there were 6 of us!) provided you keep you wits about you, take sensible precautions and don't engage the more obvious scam merchants or hangers on.

Traveller Victoria Green used the train both ways in September 2007:  "The journey time given when you "check in" is now 17 hours - i.e. arrival time is midday at either end.  And if you're lucky you'll usually arrive half an hour or so earlier than that, rather than, from what I've heard, several hours later than the old  9.00 estimate.  The train is certainly slow!  We took it both ways, and I would say the Mombassa to Nairobi run is the better for spotting wildlife en route - after breakfast I managed to get pretty decent photos of ostrich, impala and gazelle out of the windows of the moving train.  Your description of the basicness of the facilities is true, as there are few working lights in the carriages, no working fans (but the windows do have mesh screens so you can open them) and it's all looking a bit run down.  I've heard the train company has recently changed ownership and they have plans to improve the service and introduce higher speed trains on the line, so things may change."

Traveller Sue Waterman travelled from Nairobi to Mombassa on the Jambo Kenya Deluxe in June 2007:  "Your recommendation of East Africa Shuttles was spot on - they were excellent !  We love night trains and have taken them all over the world, so we couldn't resist a Nairobi to Mombassa one with character. And we weren't disappointed - this one was was an adventure !  We were in 1st (apparently 2nd class has separate men’s' & ladies carriages and we wanted to be together), and the first surprise was getting stuck with our backpacks on in the very narrow corridors.  Backpacks off we walked sideways to our door.  There is no longer any electrical power in any of the carriages except the restaurant car & engine - we discovered this at 6.30 when it got really dark, and at 7.00 an employee came around with big fluorescent lanterns - very necessary to go to the pitch dark washroom on a moving train...  They ran out fairly quickly, but fortunately we also carry a key ring size compact fluorescent Coleman Lantern which more than proved its worth that night.  Walking to dinner with our lanterns was a little like camping trips in childhood - great fun.  And the dining car was incredible: 1950s original china and cutlery, bent, chipped and faded but still being laid out formally for dinner as it had been under the Brits.  Seats let down to surprisingly large & comfortable beds, certainly among the biggest & most comfortable we've ever met - but with no power I'm glad we were there in winter because that top bunk would have been hot in summer.  We arrived only two hours late - lots of stops and starts and one truly hair-raising downhill stretch coming off the escarpment in the night when we reached some pretty high speeds and we woke up wondering if the brakes actually worked - and in the morning along the way into Mombassa it seemed as though every child (and lots of adults) along the way was coming out of their villages to wave to us.  A great adventure!"

Above:  Arrival at Mombasa.  Photos courtesy of Andy Brabin.

Nairobi to Kisumu train service

This train is the PORT FLORENCE EXPRESS, Nairobi-Kisumu.

* Latest update November 2012:  Train currently cancelled due to track repairs, service will resume 'maybe December'.  You can check the current operational status of this train at the Rift Valley Railways website www.riftvalleyrail.com (select 'Passenger travel' then 'Inter-City').  This train was reported as cancelled from 4 May 2012 until such time as it is reinstated.  Over the last few years this train has been running, then not running, then running again.  It originally ran 3 times a week, was reduced to once a week in summer 2010, restored to running 3 times a week in each direction in 2011.  It was temporarily cancelled from February until April 2012, but it resumed running on 2 April 2012, and is now running twice a week as shown above.  Or rather, now it isn't again, as it's reported cancelled (yet again) as from 4 May 2012 due to goodness-knows-what.  A latest report in September 2012 says it's still cancelled, staff thought it might be cancelled until December.  Check at www.riftvalleyrail.com, double-check locally, and if you have any more feedback, please email me. 

** Expect an arrival 10:00-11:00.  Don't plan any tight connections!

It has 1st class 2-berth sleepers, 2nd class 4-berth sleepers, restaurant car, 3rd class seats, similar to the Nairobi-Mombasa train, see the photos & information above.

There is no passenger train service into Uganda at the present time, so see the alternative bus service.

How to buy tickets...

You can book the train when you get to Kenya at the station reservation office at Nairobi.  Or you can book it in advance before you get to Kenya, through one of several travel agencies:

• www.eastafricashuttles.com/train.htm.  You can e-mail them to book at  info@eastafricashuttles.com. 

• www.kujasafaris.com, email info@kujasafaris.com, tel. +254-020-313371.  Kuja Safaris charge a $5 booking fee on top of the normal ticket-office price, but may waive this if you also choose to book hotels, safaris or tours through them.

A train ride from Kisumu to Nairobi...

Kisumu railway station...  Photo courtesy of Tim Siegenbeekvan Heukelom		The Kisumu to Nairobi train...  Photo courtesy of Tim Siegenbeekvan Heukelom

First class 2-bed sleeper on the Kisumu to Nairobi train...  From left to right, the sleeper corridor, a 2-berth sleeper compartment, and the exterior of the British-built 1st class sleeping-car.  Photos courtesy of Tim Siegenbeekvan Heukelom.

Bus service between Kenya & Uganda

The railway from Nairobi to Kampala is non-operational, at least as far as passenger trains are concerned.  But there are bus services as follows:

Nairobi - Kampala (Uganda) bus service...

Three main reputable bus companies ply this route:  Akamba Bus Company, Regional Bus Company,  Kampala Coaches.  Akamba offer two overnight buses (departing 19:30 & 21:30) and an air-conditioned daytime bus departing Nairobi at 07:15 and arriving Kampala at 20:00.  Eastbound the day bus departs Kampala 07:00 and arrives Nairobi 20:00. See www.akambabus.com.

Update 2012:  It seems Akamba bus has suspended its services.

Feedback on any of these bus services would be welcome.

Bus service between Kenya & Tanzania

Mombasa - Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) bus service...

A daily bus leaves Mombasa at 08:00, arriving Dar at 18:00.  Northbound, it leaves Dar at 08:00, arriving Mombasa 17:30.  Fare 1,600 Kenyan shillings or 19,000 Tanzanian shillings (£13/$21).  See www.scandinaviagroup.com.  Note:  It was reported that this service was to cease from June 2009, there are other operators but as yet I have no information on alternatives.

Nairobi - Arusha - Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) bus service...

www.akambabus.com run a daily bus, departing Nairobi at 06:30 and arriving Dar es Salaam at 21:00. Fare in region of 3,200 Kenyan shillings or 38,000 Tanzanian shillings (£22/$38)

Feedback on any of these bus services would be welcome.

For onward train travel to Zambia, Zimbabwe & South Africa see the Zambia & Tanzania page, Zimbabwe page & South Africa page.

Guidebooks

I strongly recommend investing in a good guidebook - which for serious independent travellers means either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide.  Both provide an excellent level of practical information and historical background. 

Click here to buy the Lonely Planet guide to Kenya or here to buy the Rough Guide to Kenya at Amazon.

Hotels in Nairobi, Mombasa & Kenya

Other hotel sites worth trying...

• www.tripadvisor.com is the place to find independent travellers' reviews of all the main hotels.

• www.booking.com is my own preferred hotel booking system (Hotels Combined being a search/comparison system).  It has a simple interface, a good selection in most countries worldwide, useful online customer reviews of each hotel, and decent prices, usually shown inclusive of unavoidable extras such as taxes (a pet hate of mine is systems that show one price, then charge you another!).

Backpacker hostels...

• www.hostelbookers.com:  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelbookers offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.

Flights to Kenya...

Overland travel by train & bus around Africa is an essential part of the experience, so once there, don't cheat and fly, stay on the ground!  But a long-haul flight might be unavoidable to reach Kenya in the first place.  For flights to Nairobi, start with Skyscanner. 

Travel insurance

Get travel insurance, it's essential...

Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash (up to a limit) and belongings.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year (I have an annual policy myself).  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

In the UK, try Columbus Direct or use Confused.com to compare prices & policies from many different insurers.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65 (no age limit), see www.JustTravelCover.com.

        If you're resident in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct's other websites.

    If you're resident in the USA or Canada, try Travel Guard USA.

Get a spare credit card, designed for foreign travel with no currency exchange loading & low or no ATM fees...

It costs nothing to take out an extra credit card.  If you keep it in a different part of your luggage so you're not left stranded if your wallet gets stolen, this is a form of extra travel insurance in itself.  In addition, some credit cards are significantly better for overseas travel than others.  Martin Lewis's www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money explains which UK credit cards have the lowest currency exchange commission loadings when you buy something overseas, and the lowest cash withdrawal fees when you use an ATM abroad.  Taking this advice can save you quite a lot on each trip compared to using your normal high-street bank credit card!

You can avoid ATM charges and expensive exchange rates with a Caxton FX euro currency Visa Card, or their multi-currency 'Global Traveller' Visa Card, see www.caxtonfx.com for info.

Get an international SIM card...

Mobile phones can cost a fortune to use abroad, and if you're not careful you can return home to find some huge bills waiting for you.  I've known people run up a £1,000 bill in data charges just by leaving their iPhone connected during a simple trip to Europe.  However, if you buy a global SIM card for your mobile phone from a company such as www.Go-Sim.com you can slash the cost by up to 85% and limit any damage to the amount you have pre-paid.  It cuts call costs in 175 countries worldwide, and you can receive incoming calls and texts for free in 75 countries.  It's pay-as-you-go, so no nasty bills when you get home.  It also works for laptop or PDA data access.  A Go-Sim account and any credit on it doesn't expire if it's not between trips, unlike some others, so a Go-Sim phone number becomes your 'global phone number' for life.