Cabinet gives green light to implement Nairobi Railway City Central Station

The government has approved the implementation of the Nairobi Railway City Central Station and Public Realm Project, which it says aims at decongesting the capital and revitalising the city centre.

The announcement came after President William Ruto held a Cabinet meeting at State House, Nairobi on Tuesday, where he said the project is part of the government’s broader urban transformation agenda, expected to establish a state-of-the-art, multi-modal transport hub in the heart of the capital.

“This flagship project, seen as a critical step in attracting private investment to the Railway City, will modernise the outdated Central Station into a state-of-the-art, multi-modal transport hub,” the Cabinet noted.

With passenger demand expected to rise to 400,000 daily by 2030 and 600,000 by 2045, the government says the new station will be equipped with nine platforms and enhanced access bridges, enabling the evacuation of up to 30,000 people per hour.

The Cabinet also noted that surrounding public realm improvements will also play a key role in unlocking underutilised land, increasing foot traffic to the CBD, and spurring economic activity.

“The project is expected to drive job creation, urban regeneration, and sustainable growth, establishing the station as Nairobi’s premier transport interchange and a symbol of the city’s future urban vision,” the Cabinet dispatch reads in part.

On its implementation, the president said the project is already backed by secured funding for critical transport connections, including Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Line 3, several commuter rail lines, and a Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) link to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

In the same meeting, the Cabinet also approved the dualing of the 20.2-kilometre Nairobi Northern Bypass, which runs from Ruaka in Kiambu to Ruiru and connects both the Western and Eastern bypasses.