If you have ever stood at a stage in Nairobi’s CBD watching 14-seaters fill up for Eldoret, you already know how crowded the market is. North Rift Shuttle is one of the names that keeps coming up in that crowd, and for good reason. It has been moving passengers between Nairobi and the North Rift for decades, and it remains a common pick for anyone heading to Eldoret, Kitale or Bungoma.
This guide puts everything in one place: the offices and numbers, the routes, how a booking really works, what you are likely to pay and how the parcel service runs. The details come from published listings and news reports checked in November 2026. Phone lines and fares in this industry change often, so treat the figures as a guide and confirm with the office before you travel.
Who Is North Rift Shuttle?
North Rift Shuttle is a long-running Kenyan passenger and parcel operator on the Nairobi to North Rift corridor. According to The Kenya Times, the business began with Peugeot 505 station wagons on the Eldoret to Nairobi route, traded as Everytime Peugeot Services, and later modernised its fleet under the brand we know today. Its motto is “Comfort and Quality.”
These days it mainly runs 11 to 14-seater executive shuttles rather than large coaches, which suits direct intercity trips between Nairobi and western Kenya. If you want to see how it compares with other operators, our roundup of the best matatu Saccos in Kenya is a good place to start.
North Rift Shuttle contacts
Let us start with what most people came for. North Rift Shuttle contacts are split by town, and passenger lines are separate from parcel lines. These are the numbers most consistently published at the time of writing:
- Nairobi (head office): Mfangano Trade Centre, behind Afya Centre, Mfangano Lane. Passengers 0722 620 583, parcels 0722 543 690.
- Eldoret: next to Total Petrol Station on Uganda Road. Passengers 0722 916 785, parcels 0732 551 047.
- Nakuru: 0722 155 281
- Kitale: 0725 078 242
- Kimilili: 0714 204 351
- Chwele: 0704 135 856
- Bungoma: 0710 501 681
- Moi’s Bridge: 0797 343 300
- Malaba: 0797 343 305
One more thing worth knowing. Several social media pages use the North Rift name, and each advertises a different number. Some are genuine branch accounts, others are resellers or imposters. Another listing even places a booking office on Kimalel Street in Eldoret, so ask which office is closest to you. Before you send any M-Pesa deposit, confirm the number with the head office or a branch you can walk into. Our earlier guide to the Sacco’s offices and destinations carries the same contacts if you want a second reference.
North Rift Shuttle routes
The backbone is the Nairobi to Eldoret corridor along the A104, but the network reaches much further. Published routes for North Rift Shuttle include:
- Nairobi to Eldoret, Nakuru, Kitale, Bungoma, Kimilili, Chwele and Malaba
- Eldoret to Kitale
- Nakuru to Eldoret
Operator adverts also mention smaller stops such as Kiminini, Tongaren, Soi and Lugari on the western runs. Most routes run both ways, so you can book from Eldoret or Kitale back to Nairobi as easily as the other way round.
Shuttles for Kitale and Bungoma branch off after Eldoret, so add roughly an hour and a half to two hours to the Nairobi to Eldoret journey. If you are going to a small trading centre on the way, the conductor will usually drop you at the nearest stage and you can connect by a local matatu.
North Rift Shuttle booking
North Rift Shuttle booking is old-school, and that is not always a bad thing. In practice you have three options:
- Call the office nearest your departure point and ask about seat availability.
- Walk in, buy your ticket at the counter and wait for the shuttle to fill.
- Pay by cash or M-Pesa. Ask in advance which one the counter accepts.
A phone reservation is not always held once the vehicle starts filling with walk-in passengers, so arrive thirty to forty-five minutes early and keep your receipt. If your plans change, call the same office as early as you can. Some will move you to a later departure, but last-minute cancellations and cash refunds are rare.
School opening and closing weeks, Easter and Christmas are the hardest times to find a seat, so book as early as the office will let you.
North Rift Shuttle fares
North Rift Shuttle fares move with fuel prices, the season and how badly everyone wants to get home. Based on listings from our own guide and other travel sites, these are typical normal-season fares:
| Route | Typical fare (KSh) |
|---|---|
| Nairobi to Nakuru | 700 – 900 |
| Nairobi to Eldoret | 1,200 – 1,500 |
| Nairobi to Kitale | 1,500 – 2,000 |
| Nairobi to Bungoma | 1,500 – 1,700 |
| Nairobi to Kimilili or Chwele | 1,500 – 1,700 |
| Nairobi to Malaba | 1,600 – 1,800 |
During Easter, Christmas and other peak periods fares can climb, with Nairobi to Eldoret reportedly reaching about KSh 2,500. Some third-party listings quote slightly different figures, for example KSh 1,300 for Eldoret, which is another reason to ask for the price when you call. If a quote feels high for the season, ring a second office or compare with another Sacco before you commit. Our bus bookings section has fare guides for other upcountry routes if you want a benchmark.
North Rift Shuttle Nairobi
In Nairobi, the head office sits at Mfangano Trade Centre, behind Afya Centre on Mfangano Lane, within easy reach of other shuttle and bus offices in the CBD. Passengers call 0722 620 583 and parcels go through 0722 543 690.
Boarding points in the city have shifted before. In 2022 Nairobi County directed PSVs serving Nyanza, Western and the Rift regions to relocate from the CBD to Green Park Terminus, and North Rift Luxury Shuttle was among the Saccos that went to court over it, according to The Star. Whatever the arrangement is on your travel day, ask the booking agent exactly where the shuttle departs before you pay. That one question saves a lot of running around with luggage.
North Rift Shuttle phone number
There is no single number for the whole Sacco, which trips up many first-time travellers. Call the North Rift Shuttle phone number for the town you are leaving from, and use the parcel line only for parcels. If a branch line does not connect, try the Nairobi head office on 0722 620 583, because numbers get reassigned from time to time.
A few habits help. Save the numbers before you leave home, since network can be patchy around Timboroa. Ask for the departure time, the pick-up point and the fare in the same call. When you pay by M-Pesa, check the registered name that appears before you confirm, and never send money to a personal number you cannot verify.
North Rift Shuttle online booking
Here the answer is simple. North Rift Shuttle does not currently have an official booking app or portal, and our guide and other travel sites say the same. Several pages that promise online booking turn out to be listings that ask you to phone an office, so treat them as directories rather than a ticketing system.
If you need an e-ticket and a fixed seat number, you may be better served by an operator with a proper online platform. We have step-by-step guides for Easy Coach online booking and Transline Bus booking, routes and contacts. Our shuttles section also covers other Saccos on the same corridor.
North Rift Shuttle Nairobi to Eldoret
This is the flagship route and the one most people search for. It follows the A104 through Naivasha, Nakuru and Timboroa before reaching Eldoret, a distance of roughly 300 kilometres. Plan for around four to five hours, more if there is traffic around Nakuru or roadworks near Timboroa. On this leg North Rift Shuttle runs departures through the day, and weekday mornings and Friday afternoons are usually the busiest.
Most trips stop briefly in Nakuru, which is a good moment for a snack and a washroom break. Then the road climbs again towards the Uasin Gishu plateau, and Timboroa is one of the coldest and highest points on any Kenyan highway, so keep a jacket within reach. In Eldoret, the Sacco’s office is on Uganda Road next to the Total petrol station.
If a seat is not available, the same corridor has alternatives. Great Rift Shuttle runs a similar route with an office close to the same part of Mfangano Lane, and Mololine Prestige Shuttle competes on the Nairobi, Nakuru and Eldoret stretch.
North Rift Shuttle parcel services
North Rift Shuttle parcel services run alongside the passenger business, with separate desks and numbers. You drop the item at the departure office, pay according to size and destination, and the recipient collects it at the receiving office with identification and the receipt. The published parcel lines are 0722 543 690 in Nairobi and 0732 551 047 in Eldoret.
One fact is worth knowing before you send anything valuable. In January 2023 the Communications Authority revoked the courier licence of North Rift Luxury Shuttle along with three other companies, and the notice gave no reasons, as Kenyans.co.ke reported. We could not confirm the current licensing position, so ask the office directly.
Some simple precautions go a long way. Keep your receipt safe, photograph the parcel before handing it over, tell the recipient what to expect and avoid sending cash or high-value items without cover. Passengers have also reported delays and extra verification at collection, so having your paperwork in order saves time.
Tips for a Smoother Trip
Carry a charged phone and a power bank, because shuttles of this size rarely offer charging ports or Wi-Fi. Confirm your exact drop-off point before you pay, as a few travellers have reported vehicles ending a trip earlier than advertised. Pack one or two medium bags, since boot space is limited. Where you can, choose daytime departures and a seat in the middle rows. If you are travelling with North Rift Shuttle during school holidays, arrive early and expect a wait.
Is North Rift Shuttle Safe?
Like every Sacco on this highway, the company must follow rules set by the National Transport and Safety Authority on speed governors, seatbelts and passenger limits. Honest answer: no operator on the Nairobi to Nakuru road is immune to accidents. Crashes involving shuttles of this brand have been reported, including a February 2018 collision at Kikopey in which a truck rammed the rear of a shuttle and five people died, according to the Nation.
You can tilt the odds your way. Wear a seatbelt even on short legs, refuse to board an obviously overloaded vehicle, and speak up politely if the driver is reckless. Serious concerns can be reported to NTSA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does North Rift Shuttle have an app? No official app or website for ticketing was found. Bookings are made by phone or at a counter.
Which route is cheapest? Nairobi to Nakuru, since it is the shortest leg.
Does North Rift Shuttle run at night? Night departures are reportedly uncommon and limited to busy periods, so confirm with the office.
How much luggage can I carry? There is no strict published limit. One or two medium bags is realistic, and you should call ahead for anything bulky.
Final Thoughts
North Rift Shuttle will not win awards for its app, but decades on the Nairobi to Eldoret road count for something, and its string of offices from Nairobi to Malaba makes buying a ticket easy. Save the number for your departure town, confirm fares and boarding points by phone, and give yourself extra time at the stage. Travel well.
