Ministry Sets December 15 Deadline for Talanta Stadium Railway Line

The railway line connecting Talanta Stadium with Nairobi Central Station will be completed by December 15, 2026, ahead of the January 5, 2027 friendly game, the Ministry of Roads and Transport has announced.

Speaking during a tour of the railway line, Principal Secretary for Transport Mohamed Daghar said the 13.3-kilometre line will be completed ahead of the highly anticipated Bayern Munich Vs Ajax match in January and well ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in July 2027.

"By December 15, we will have this line ready," Daghar stated while giving updates on the progress of the construction of the link rail line.

The upgraded railway connection would allow passengers travelling from Nairobi's Central Business District (CBD) to reach Talanta Sports City in approximately 15 minutes.

According to the PS, trains would operate at speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour, providing an alternative means of transport for spectators attending sporting events at the facility.

The government targets transporting 1,500 football fans every 10 minutes using the rail network during the match, with the ministry revealing that the trains would operate to and fro every 10 minutes.

"We anticipate using this line to come and watch the game on January 5. We are going to be evacuating 1500 passengers every 10 minutes to come and watch the game. Every 10 minutes there are going to be a train, whether bringing you in or out," he added.

The line will have four stations along the 13-kilometre route, with stations at the Nyayo Stadium, Mbagathi, Kibera and the Talanta sports city. The Kibera station, the PS said, will be the major station for the line.

"Kibera is our major station. Other stations will be near Nyayo Stadium, Mbagathi, and Talanta Sports City," the PS added.

The project has involved extensive upgrades of the existing railway infrastructure, including replacing steel sleepers with concrete sleepers.

Daghar described the works as an overhaul of a railway line that had been in existence for more than a century.

The project also includes improvements to the drainage system and the construction of a spur line branching from Kibera Station to facilitate the connection to Talanta Sports City.

Kenya Railways is also putting in place pedestrian overpasses and underpasses at Kibera, Laini Saba, Gatwekera and Kambi Muru to provide safer access to the railway.

The railway corridor will also feature a wall along the line in efforts to protect the railway, as part of the ongoing development works.