Where to Stay in Nairobi Central Near the Old Station

A practical guide to the streets around Nairobi Railway Station, from the CBD grid to the quieter edges of Uhuru Park, with honest advice on which areas suit which trip.

The station itself and the immediate streets

Nairobi Railway Station sits at the southern edge of the central business district, where Haile Selassie Avenue meets the roads running down toward the city's industrial belt. The station building still handles commuter trains, and the old colonial-era platforms are a short walk from the Kenya Railway Golf Club. Staying within a few hundred metres puts you near Moi Avenue, the Kencom bus stage and the matatu terminus at the Railways stage, though the immediate blocks are busy during the day and quiet after dark. Expect basic guesthouses here from roughly 2,000 to 4,500 shillings a night, and mid-range hotels in the upper half of that band with secure parking.

For a first visit I would not book directly facing the station forecourt. The streets south of Haile Selassie Avenue are functional rather than comfortable, and the pedestrian flow thins sharply once offices close. Instead, walk ten minutes north toward the junction of Moi Avenue and University Way, where there are a handful of established mid-range properties with reliable hot water, generators and restaurants on site. Rooms in that pocket typically run 5,000 to 9,000 shillings and put you within easy reach of the Nairobi Gallery and the August Seventh Memorial Park.

Book the Moi Avenue side if your priority is arriving by rail or getting an early matatu to the coast. It is the most straightforward option and there is no real advantage to paying more further west.

Upper Hill and the hospital district

West of the station, Upper Hill climbs steadily above Haile Selassie Avenue. It is the city's corporate quarter, dominated by office towers along Ragati Road and Upper Hill Road, with the Kenyatta National Hospital complex to the south-west. This is where the international chains and larger business hotels cluster, and it shows: prices run from about 9,000 shillings for a standard room to well over 20,000 for a suite at the top addresses. The trade-off is that after office hours the pavements empty and you will rely on a taxi or hotel car for dinner.

Upper Hill works if you are in Nairobi for meetings, medical appointments at the national hospital, or simply want air conditioning, a gym and consistent power. The walk down to the station takes around twenty-five minutes at a reasonable pace, or five to ten minutes by car depending on the Kenyatta Avenue and Haile Selassie junction traffic. Morning traffic on Upper Hill Road is genuinely slow between seven and nine, so allow more time than a map suggests. I would skip this area for leisure stays longer than a night or two, because the neighbourhood is not built for walking in the evening.

My pick here is a mid-tier business hotel with its own restaurant rather than the cheapest room available, since food options within walking distance are limited.

Around Uhuru Park and the city centre grid

North of the station, the land rises toward Uhuru Park and the Central Business District proper. The streets around Kenyatta Avenue, Kimathi Street and Standard Street hold a dense mix of older hotels and newer business properties, many within walking distance of the Jeevanjee Gardens, the Jamia Mosque and the City Market. Rates vary widely: budget rooms in older blocks start near 2,500 shillings, while well-maintained three-star hotels on or just off Kenyatta Avenue generally ask 6,000 to 11,000. This is the most convenient base if you plan to see the city on foot.

The green belt along Uhuru Park and the adjacent Central Park are the best places to walk in the early morning, and the park paths are pleasant before the heat builds. For bookings, I would favour Kimathi Street or the lower end of Kenyatta Avenue over the blocks immediately north toward River Road, which are cheaper but considerably more crowded and harder to navigate with luggage. Ask whether the room rate includes breakfast and airport transfer; a number of properties near the park do, and it changes the value calculation noticeably.

Practical timing, transport and what to skip

Nairobi has two rainy seasons, and they affect a station-area stay more than most. The long rains run from roughly late March to May, the short rains from October into December. In heavy rain the roads around Haile Selassie Avenue and the station underpass flood, and a ten-minute drive can stretch to forty. July and August are cooler and generally dry, and January through February is warm and clear. If you are booking for a conference or safari departure, aim for the dry months and confirm that your hotel has a generator, since power interruptions do occur.

On transport, the station is served by commuter trains toward Syokimau and Embakasi, useful if you are avoiding road traffic. From Jomo Kenyatta International Airport the drive to the central area takes twenty to fifty minutes depending on time of day and the Mombasa Road and Southern Bypass conditions. Skip the unlicensed touts inside the station forecourt and use a hotel-arranged transfer or a metered taxi from the marked stand. Walking after dark between the station and Moi Avenue is not something I would recommend; take a short ride even for a few blocks.

For most travellers I would book the Kenyatta Avenue and Kimathi Street area and treat the station as a transit point rather than a base.

Questions, answered

How far is Nairobi Railway Station from the main hotel area?

The station sits at the southern edge of the CBD. Most well-established hotels around Kimathi Street and Kenyatta Avenue are a fifteen to twenty-five minute walk north, or five to ten minutes by car depending on traffic on Haile Selassie Avenue.

Which month is best for staying in central Nairobi?

July and August are cooler and mostly dry, and January to February is warm and clear. Avoid the long rains from late March to May and the short rains from October into December, when roads near the station underpass can flood.

What should I expect to pay for a hotel near the station?

Basic guesthouses close to the station forecourt typically start around 2,000 shillings, mid-range hotels on the Moi Avenue side run 5,000 to 9,000, and Upper Hill business hotels begin near 9,000 and climb well beyond for suites.

Is it safe to walk around the station at night?

The streets thin out after offices close and lighting is uneven in places. I would take a short taxi ride even for a few blocks between the station and Moi Avenue after dark, and use hotel-arranged transfers when arriving late.

How long does it take to reach the city centre from the airport?

The drive from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport takes roughly twenty to fifty minutes, depending on the time of day and conditions on Mombasa Road and the Southern Bypass. Morning arrivals often face the longest delays.

Do I need a car if I stay near the old station?

Not for the central area, but a car or taxi helps for Upper Hill and evening meals. The commuter rail lines toward Syokimau and Embakasi are useful for avoiding road traffic if your schedule matches the departures.

Which part of the centre would you book for a first visit?

I would book around Kimathi Street or the lower end of Kenyatta Avenue, close to Jeevanjee Gardens and the City Market. It is walkable, has the widest range of hotels and makes the station easy to reach by short taxi.

What should I check before confirming a central Nairobi hotel?

Confirm whether breakfast and airport transfer are included, and ask about backup power, secure parking and hot water reliability. Those four details matter more than small differences in room rate in this part of the city.

← Nairobi Central's page