Rome to Nairobi (FCO–NBO) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

Italian passport holders need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Kenya. Apply at etakenya.go.ke. The eTA costs $30 for a single-entry 90-day stay and is processed within 3 working days (sometimes within hours). Kenya discontinued traditional sticker visas in January 2024, and the eTA fully replaced them. Visa on arrival is no longer available.

For the eTA, upload a passport scan (valid for at least 6 months with two blank pages), a passport photo, proof of accommodation, and a return or onward ticket. Travel insurance is not mandatory but is requested on the form. Print the eTA approval or save it on your phone. Business travelers use the same eTA, but must upload a business invitation letter from a Kenyan entity.

Direct flights from Rome Fiumicino (FCO) to Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta (NBO) run about 7 hours 30 minutes on Kenya Airways and ITA Airways. Connections through Addis Ababa, Istanbul, or Dubai also work. Kenya uses the Kenyan shilling (KES), trading at roughly 130 KES per $1. Yellow fever vaccination is required if arriving from or transiting through an endemic country (a layover in Addis Ababa counts). M-Pesa mobile money is ubiquitous in Kenya, but tourists cannot easily register for it. Carry USD or EUR for safari lodge payments and use ATMs for KES in Nairobi.

Leonardo Express non-stop train runs from Roma Termini to FCO in 32 minutes (€14, no stops). Regional trains (FL1 line) make stops including Trastevere, Ostiense, Tuscolana, and Tiburtina; slower (45–55 min) but cheaper (€8) and useful if you're not near Termini. Trains run every 15 minutes from Termini and every 30 minutes for regional services.Taxis from central Rome have a fixed fare: €50 (within the Aurelian Walls), €55–60 for outer neighborhoods. The fixed rate is mandatory; insist if the driver tries to use a meter. Ride-hail apps (Uber Black, itTaxi) are available but pricier than taxis on this route.