Talanta Stadium Railway Line to Be Ready Ahead of Bayern Munich vs Ajax Match

Football fans heading to the January 2027 friendly between Bayern Munich and Ajax could have a new transport option, with the government setting December 15, 2026, as the completion deadline for the railway connection to Talanta Sports City.

Principal Secretary for Transport Mohamed Daghar announced the target during an inspection tour of the ongoing construction works, saying the 13.3-kilometre railway line would be ready before the January 5 encounter.

The connection is expected to link Nairobi Central Station to Talanta Stadium, giving passengers travelling from the Central Business District an alternative to road transport. According to Daghar, the journey is expected to take approximately 15 minutes.

The ministry is planning a high-capacity transport arrangement for the match, with trains expected to move approximately 1,500 football fans 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,” Daghar said.

The trains are expected to operate at speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour, with services running in both directions to facilitate the movement of spectators.

Four stations will serve the route. They will be located near Nyayo Stadium, Mbagathi, Kibera and Talanta Sports City. Daghar identified Kibera as the main station along the connection.

Beyond the new link to the stadium, the project involves significant rehabilitation of an existing railway corridor that has been in use for more than a century.

Among the works being undertaken is the replacement of steel sleepers with concrete ones, alongside improvements to the drainage system. A spur line is also being constructed from Kibera Station to connect the railway directly to Talanta Sports City.

Kenya Railways is additionally developing pedestrian overpasses and underpasses at Kibera, Laini Saba, Gatwekera and Kambi Muru. The facilities are intended to provide safer crossings for residents and other railway users.

A protective wall is also being installed along the railway corridor as part of the infrastructure improvements.

The December deadline is significant because the government also intends to use the upgraded connection ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for July.

If completed within the announced timeline, the railway will provide a dedicated public transport option for spectators attending major sporting events at Talanta Sports City, beginning with the Bayern Munich versus Ajax friendly.

Feng_FK feedback-opera-news-app@opera.com