KWS Announces Radical Changes For Tourists Following e-Citizen Hitches
On Sunday, May 18, the Kenya Wildlife Service announced significant changes to how tourists can navigate Nairobi National Park, just a day after concerns about long lineups.
In a statement, the service announced the opening of two new express lanes in Nairobi National Park, which will be reserved specifically for prepaid ticket users.
According to the KWS, the goal of this move was to reduce entry wait times while also giving tourists a more convenient experience at one of the country’s most popular parks.
“To further enhance convenience and reduce entry wait times, we have introduced two express lanes exclusively for prepaid ticket holders at Nairobi National Park,” the KWS announced.
Thank You for Choosing to Visit KWS Parks
— Kenya Wildlife Service (@KWSKenya) May 18, 2025
We’re pleased to share that this morning, over 60% of our visitors to Nairobi National Park had prepaid for their tickets an encouraging step toward improving your park experience.
To further enhance convenience and reduce entry wait… pic.twitter.com/VqFgbDJWkN
KWS pre-paid tickets are digital entry credentials that tourists can purchase in advance of their visit to Nairobi National Park.
To have access to the system, visitors must first obtain an e-Citizen account.
The speedy lanes became more important, especially after re-ticket holders were delayed on Saturday, May 17, despite having purchased their tickets in advance.
On Saturday, the portal suffered issues, resulting in delays and indignation from travelers on social media.
One significant consequence of the system outage was that pre-ticket holders were forced to queue alongside other visitors who were unable to purchase tickets at the e-citizen platform at the gate.
Following the loss, the KWS encouraged more travelers to continue pre-purchasing their tickets, citing the express lanes’ advantage in terms of speedier processing.
In addition to the deployment of express lanes, the KWS claimed that 60% of visitors to Nairobi National Park had pre-purchased their tickets, marking a milestone.
We understand that the excitement of visiting the park should never be overshadowed by long waits.
— Kenya Wildlife Service (@KWSKenya) May 17, 2025
We sincerely apologise for the long queues experienced this morning at the Nairobi National Park Main Gate. Your time and experience mean everything to us, and we’re working to… pic.twitter.com/6o4QUfhQXg
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The new eCitizen payment system was revealed in February after Kenyans expressed difficulty paying for park services.
KWS reported that piloting has begun in three major parks: Nairobi National Park, Nairobi Safari Walk, and Nairobi Animal Orphanage.
To help alleviate long lines, the agency also stated that, in addition to the Main Gate, the park has other fully working access gates.
These include East Gate (off Mombasa Road) and Mbagathi Gate (Magadi Road, beside Multimedia University), which can help reduce traffic congestion.
KWS Announces Radical Changes For Tourists Following e-Citizen Hitches
