Kenya targets 15 December for Nairobi–Talanta rail link ahead of Bayern–Ajax friendly

Transport Principal Secretary Mohamed Daghar said the 13.3 km railway line between Nairobi Central Station and Talanta Sports City will be ready by 15 December, ahead of the Bayern Munich–Ajax friendly scheduled for 5 January 2027, Kenyans.co.ke and The Star reported on 10 November 2026. He made the announcement during an inspection tour of the line.

"By December 15, we will have this line ready," Daghar said. The link is also due to be ready before the Africa Cup of Nations in July 2027. Kenyans.co.ke attributed the 15 December completion date to the Ministry of Roads and Transport.

The friendly is scheduled to open the new stadium at Talanta Sports City, President William Ruto announced on 28 October. Ruto said on 12 December 2025 that Talanta Stadium would be renamed Raila Odinga International Stadium once it is completed; speaking in Kisumu on 14 September 2026, he said the formal renaming would take place when the stadium opens.

Passengers from the Nairobi central business district are expected to reach Talanta Sports City in about 15 minutes. Trains are to run at up to 60 km/h.

The line will have four stations: Nyayo Stadium, Mbagathi, Kibera and Talanta Sports City. "Kibera is our major station," Daghar said. A spur line from Kibera station will connect to Talanta Sports City.

Daghar said the government is targeting 1,500 passengers every 10 minutes for the match, with trains running in both directions at that interval.

The works include rehabilitating a line that Daghar described as more than a century old: steel sleepers are being replaced with concrete ones and drainage is being improved. Kenya Railways is also building pedestrian overpasses and underpasses at Kibera, Laini Saba, Gatwekera and Kambi Muru, and a wall is to be built along the line to protect it.