[PHOTOS] Nairobi bus stations bustle as Kenyans head home for the holidays

Nairobi’s major bus termini have been a hive of activity as thousands of residents make last-minute travel arrangements to head upcountry for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

From early morning, long queues have been witnessed at popular bus stations as travellers seek transport to various parts of the country to reunite with family and loved ones for the festive season.

Country Bus was a beehive of activity as thousands of Nairobi residents made last-minute travel arrangements to head upcountry for the Christmas and New Year celebrations on December 21, 2025, PHOTO/OKUSI TECHE

However, many Nairobians have been unable to travel on time due to significant delays caused by an overwhelming number of passengers and a shortage of public service vehicles (PSVs).

Travellers reported spending hours waiting for additional vehicles to be availed, with some forced to postpone their journeys to later dates as operators struggled to meet the surge in demand.

The high demand has also led to a sharp increase in fares on several routes. In some cases, ticket prices have nearly doubled compared to normal rates, putting an additional financial strain on travellers already grappling with the cost of festive preparations.

Passengers heading to distant destinations in western Kenya, the Rift Valley and parts of eastern Kenya were among those most affected by the fare hikes.

Despite the challenges, the festive mood remained evident at the crowded stations, with travellers determined to make the journey home.

Transport operators, on their part, attributed the delays and increased fares to the seasonal rush, citing high operational costs and limited fleet capacity as they scrambled to cope with one of the busiest travel periods of the year.