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Friday, May 12, 2006

Transport in Kenya

A Nairobi-Mombasa journey.

Any visitor to Kenya must make a date with either the cities of Nairobi; the main gateway to the Kenyan magic land or…the Mombasa, the historic city belted in series of showy beaches for wonderful sunbathing, deep-sea fishing and water sports. What if you want to have a taste in both towns? Then have the option to travel in a train, bus, a car or can even fly, the choice is yours!

A train journey.
The state corporation, Kenya airways runs train services primarily between Nairobi and Mombasa. There is the overnight train from both cities, which operate three days a week, and the train leaves in the evening, to arrive the following morning after a journey of 13-14 hours. You have a choice to travel in the first class, second class or third class coaches The first class is the most excellent, but most expensive; you get your own bed, personalized service, a washbasin, a wardrobe, free water and of course a key to lock your berth.

In the second class, you have a bed and meals, but you may miss the free water or personalized service. Then the pocket-friendly third class of course the cheapest, but you only have a seat, that is, if you are lucky to have gotten one.

If you have sufficient time, and great liking of adventure, the train journey between the two cities is one of the highlights of Kenyan travel and every visitor must! make an odyssey between the Nairobi “sun city” and the Mombasa “Beach Coast’.

If you want to complete your great Kenyan visit, then have to hook up with a steam-powered ‘tourist special train’. This is a reconditioned train from the 19th century British Empire engines, and takes place perhaps once in a month, through prior reservations.

Tickets are readily purchased from Kenya railway main stations as well as local travel agencies, and it’s always advisable to make bookings in advance, especially around holidays. Below is a summarized schedule of travel hours of a Kenya-Nairobi Mombasa train.

Departure time

Arrival time
Days
Nairobi 19.00 Hrs
Mombasa 08.30 Hrs following day
Every Monday Wednesday and Friday
Mombasa 19.00 Hrs
Nairobi 09.00 Hrs following Day
Every Tuesday Thursday and Sunday

It costs Shs. 3000 per person (Approximate US $40) to travel in a first class. This price is inclusive of dinner, bed & breakfast, while it costs shs. 2100 per person (price inclusive of bed & breakfast). These are single journeys. Children between 3 years and 15 years of age pay half fare.

The train journey as compared to the other kinds of travel is the safest and most convenient, you have got the chance to have the most scenic way of travel, can even stand on top of the seats to view the splendid terrains of the Athi plains, the Mtito Andei forests…. however, it’s the slowest, have to expect delays…. therefore be ready to spend your half -day inside the berth.

Air travel.
Air travel is the other common mode of connecting between the two cities. You can use a flight with the Kenya Airways, Air Kenya or Regional Air. There are also private airlines, which operate light aircrafts.

The chief air travel in Kenya is through Kenya Airways. It operates at Nairobi Jommo Kenyatta International Airport, located nine miles (15Kms) from the city center. From Mombasa to Nairobi, you will use Moi International airport, located eight miles (13kms) West of Mombasa town. To get to the airports from the cities, can use a taxi, a bus, or arrange with a hotel or tour operator.

To travel between the two towns by air, just takes one hour. For example, in either way, Kenya Airways has a daily service on three departures at various times of the day between 1000Hrs and 1845 Hrs. It costs US $ 95(Kshs 7000) to travel one way (rates are not inclusive of taxes and are subject to change). Infants are charged 10% of the applicable adult fare and children are carried at 75% of the fare. Just a flip on the general conditions, passengers must check-in 45 minutes before the scheduled departure times, otherwise the airline reserves the right to reallocate seats if passengers have not checked-in 20 minutes before.

Below is a schedule of Air Kenya daily flights, from Nairobi to towns of Lamu and Malindi, the two towns are in the coastal belt, and everyone who visits Mombasa must complete the visit by making a date with either of the towns..
Nairobi-Lamu.
From
To
depart
arrive
Nairobi
Lamu
1315 HRS
1445 HRS
Lamu
Nairobi
1530 HRS
1700 HRS
Nairobi-Malindi
From
To
depart
arrive
Nairobi
Malindi
1715 HRS
1845 HRS
Malindi
Nairobi
1900 HRS
2030 HRS

It costs US $ 100(Kshs 7,500) to Mombasa town from Nairobi with Air Kenya, but a point to note, in either of the airlines, it’s cheaper to book online where you get a 10% discount.

Traveling by air in between the cities is one of the luxurious modes, and the fastest, within one hour you are already in one city from the other. However it’s the most expensive, and also has to be aware of various terms and conditions of the airlines to avoid disappointments.

Travel by a bus.
A bus travel to or from Mombasa and Nairobi is the commonest way of trans-crossing the two cities. There are several buses, which travel in between the two cities with offices located at different parts of the towns, and anyone wishing to travel will find no difficult in tracing the offices which are mostly concentrated in one corner of the city. Individuals, as well as companies own the buses and you will find prominent buses with names such as Coast Bus, Mombasa Liners, Goldline liners…Though buses along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway were once death-traps, its now very safe, they all have a speed limit is 80km/hr. The buses travel both during the day and night, and have various schedules to choose from. Traveling during the day is preferable than at night due to threat of carjacking as well as traffic accidents. Its advisable to get a comfortable and reputable coach company, i.e. the Akamba Bus service that has a long service of Bus in Kenya, with experience of traveling even beyond boundaries.

A Mombasa destined bus leaves Nairobi at 1000Hrs, to reach at 1700Hrs, that is a day travel bus. A night owl will depart Nairobi at 2000Hrs to arrive at Mombasa at 500Hrs. You may also find other buses with various schedules in the afternoon i.e. a journey starting at 1200Hrs to arrive at 1900Hrs; there are a variety of buses to meet your need!

A bus travel will take mostly between 6-10 hrs. The charges are approximately Shs 500-900(6 to 12 US $) this depends on the class of the bus, the newer models are quite expensive with special attributes such as adjustable seats that allow you convert to a bed … In high seasons such as the Christmas and Easter holidays, most buses hike their fares since many people like visiting the coast at these periods and so a lot of congestion in the stages, so its advisable to make advance bookings perhaps an hour or before departure times. It can be made in their respective offices, or in advanced companies such as Standard Express, it’s possible to do it online. Buses are comfortable, reliable and cheaper to travel though quite slower.

Travel by a car.
Traveling in a car is the other customized way to get to Mombasa from Nairobi or vice versa. You have the choice either to drive yourself, hire a chauffeur or in a tour company. A visitor to Kenya may bring own car, alternatively, may drive from the several car-rental companies though expensive but you will have the freedom of movement. Booking is available in these company’s premises as well as in the Internet. For example, the Budget Car Company has online services.

Getting in between the two cities is a journey of 500 kilometers (300 miles) with segments of bumpy and rough roads alternating with smooth and soothing sections. Driving is on the left hand, and though not required, its convenient to have an International Driving Licence. You need to have a valid driving license, which has to be endorsed at the Road transport office in Nairobi.

Before you embark on the long journey, it’s extremely important that the car is mechanically sound, because the journey is quite a challenge. This will minimize delays and incidental costs related to car service on your way. The Nairobi-Mombasa highway is a 24 hr busy road, with all kinds of machines in the road; huge trucks hauling long trailers ferrying cargo to other parts of the country from the ports, fleets of buses carrying passengers, small cars, big cars and all of them traveling at different and scaring speeds. Its good to be aware of the turbulence created by big trucks and lorries (moving in the opposite direction), if not cautious they will blow your light car to leave you dance either out or in the middle of the road.

Its always pretty good to drive during the day, some areas on the way are extremely dangerous of highway robbers, this is especially at the section of the Mtito Andei thickets. They would lay sharp but unnoticeable items on the road to deflate your tyres, and if your car becomes the victim…its most likely you will get at the beach penniless, having been cleaned by the muggers in the dark-forests. It goes that if your car gets a puncture along Mombasa-Nairobi Highway especially in the ‘not-clear’ zones, don’t try to pull up on the roadside…block the whole road with your vehicle, this will force other vehicles to stop and give you a compulsory assistance, otherwise no driver will risk to stop willingly in the notorious zone.

Getting to Mombasa or Nairobi in your car, is surely the most enjoyable way of travel; you have all the time to stop at areas of your pleasure, watch the scenic landscapes…the desert jungles, the dancing acacias, the wild game…and of course you may opt to spend nights in the comfortable highway motels. You have the most flexible departure and arrival times, may decide to make the journey in few hour or may even decide to take a whole week. Otherwise it’s an expensive way of travel, you risk disposing off your car after the hectic mileage (to and fro) and if personally driving, it calls for a considerable experience in long journey travel..

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