Christmas travel rush: Nairobians dash to book buses amid shortage

A number of major bus companies plying the Nairobi to Western Kenya routes are already fully booked. 

Asha Akinyi who had planned to travel to her village home in Migori said she could not find a bus. 

“I had planned to travel home on December 25, aboard Easy Coach or ENA Coach, only to be told that the buses are fully booked until a later date,” said Asha.

Asha says she is unsure she will get transport home on Christmas Day. 

Easy Coach Nairobi Station Manager Denis Okoth told Wananchi Reporting that they already have a lot of occupancy this festive season.

“The demand is very high already.  Many people want to travel and already we have bookings running until the end of December.

"We don't have enough buses to cater for the influx, but we are doing our best and dictated by our capacity,” said Okoth.

“Some people are also already making return bookings for January,” he said, adding that thousands of travellers come to the station daily.

A number of public transport service providers plying the long distance route from Nairobi have often taken advantage of the situation, charging exorbitant fares to upcountry leading to chaos and suffering.

Many families have in the past been forced to spend the night in the cold in bus stops across the country due to unavailability of affordable means of transport during this period.

Many people are now asking that the prices be regularised – and that only the licensed vehicles should be allowed to ply the long distance route.

Residents are also asking the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to remain vigilant to ensure road safety is observed during this period.