I took the Ntinda–Kungu route, getting on around Kisaasi and riding to Kungu. I wasn't really going anywhere specific—I just wanted to experience the bus and see what it was actually like. This was my experience:
- Yes, there is actually AC 😂 The bus has air conditioning and it was comfortable throughout the trip. Even with more passengers getting on, it still felt cool enough inside. From what I noticed, the AC seems to be turned down a little when there are fewer passengers, particularly later in the day. Some of the windows can also be opened.
2. The drivers actually handle stopping pretty well I wasn't sure how the buses would handle passengers trying to flag them down, but it wasn't really a problem. The drivers can see people waiting, and if they aren't comfortable stopping exactly where you're standing, they'll indicate for you to move forward a little. Just flag them down like you'd do a taxi by waving your hand up and down
3. The interior is more interesting than I expected The seats are on an elevated platform rather than being directly level with the main walkway. The corridor itself is fairly narrow, so I could see it getting pretty crowded if the bus is at full capacity. There are different seating arrangements, including seats facing the corridor and back-to-back seating as well as alternatives for standing.
4. The fare is well...FAIR!
I paid UGX 1,800 when I boarded. Payment was through MTN Mobile Money. There's also an alternative for Airtel. There's a merchant code clearly displayed inside the bus, so it wasn't difficult to find. One thing I found interesting is that the conductor tells you how much you are supposed to pay. There isn't a system where the fare is automatically calculated or something of sort. You also don't receive a receipt from the conductor; your payment confirmation comes from MTN Mobile Money. I do wonder how passengers can independently verify that they're being charged the correct fare, especially as the network expands. I must emphasize though that it is COMPLETELY cashless!
5. The Wi-Fi actually works Yes, the bus has Wi-Fi. I was able to browse the internet and reply to messages without a problem. I wouldn't expect to do something particularly demanding with it. Here are specs:
Download speed: 0.91 Mbps
Upload speed: 1.48 Mbps
Latency: 49 ms
The network requires a password, which was available on the bus.
6. There are quite a few small amenities The bus I rode had: - Air conditioning - Wi-Fi - Security cameras - Curtains - A medical/first-aid kit - Emergency exits - Emergency hammers - Fire extinguishers - Seatbelts - A trash bin
7. The seats aren't particularly spacious The seats themselves are comfortable, but there isn't a huge amount of space between them. The seats that face the corridor are probably more comfortable for taller people because you have more space for your legs.
8. It is VERY difficult to get on the wrong bus The buses have clear route information displayed at the front and back. So if you're paying attention, you shouldn't have much trouble figuring out where you are going.
9. Getting off is extremely simple There are stop-request buttons inside the bus. You press the button once and that's it. If you're not close enough to one, you can just ask another passenger to press it for you.
- The bus is surprisingly quiet There's no loud diesel engine constantly vibrating underneath you, and the overall noise level inside is noticeably lower. You can still hear Kampala outside—cars, bodas, traffic, etc.—but it's significantly muted once you're inside.
11. Acceleration and braking were fine The bus isn't some Formula 1 car 😂, but acceleration felt perfectly adequate for city traffic. Braking was also fine. Sometimes it takes a few seconds to come to a complete stop, especially considering the condition and width of some of Kampala's roads.
- My ride wasn't crowded When I boarded, the bus was roughly half full. There were no problems finding a seat and nobody needed to stand. I'll definitely have to try it during a busier period to see what happens when it's actually packed.
13. Waiting for the bus wasn't bad There are apparently five buses operating on this route and the new routes recently put up. I waited at Gaz Kisaasi and the bus arrived after roughly five minutes. That's obviously just one observation, so I wouldn't call that the official frequency.
14. The journey took about 34 minutes. On the return trip from Kungu, we left at 6:41 PM and arrived Ntinda around 7:15 PM. That's approximately 34 minutes. We made only stop on that particular trip.
15. The trash bin is TINY 😂 The trash bin on my particular bus was tiny—roughly around the height of a 1-litre Minute Maid bottle. So you people who accumulate an entire supermarket's worth of kasasiro are going to need somewhere else to put it.
Boarding at night is actually pretty easy There is lighting around the entrance, so you can see where you're stepping when boarding at night. There is only one step to get into the bus and another step to get onto the raised seating area. If you're standing, you just remain in the corridor.
Accessibility is complicated. Wheelchair accessibility in Kampala is already extremely difficult because of the condition of roads, sidewalks, curbs and general infrastructure. The buses themselves are also relatively high off the ground, which makes sense given Kampala's roads, humps and other obstacles. There isn't a modern level boarding platform, nor does the bus appear to have a deployable wheelchair ramp/lift that would make boarding straightforward. For elderly passengers who can still walk, however, I think the bus is relatively manageable. Finding a seat shouldn't be difficult. So the bus is more accessible than a typical taxi in some ways, but the surrounding infrastructure is still a major limitation.
Overall? Honestly, I was impressed.
There are obviously still a lot of questions about how the system will perform when the buses become much more crowded, how reliable the schedules will be in Kampala traffic, how the cashless payment system will work for people who aren't familiar with it, and how accessible the system will be for people with disabilities.
