Mbale: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Mbale is a city of 111,300 people in Uganda (Eastern Region), 1,125 m (3,691 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Soroti Airport (SRT), 94 km (58 mi) from the centre.
Key facts
Daylight in Mbale runs from about 12 h 6 min a day in late December to 12 h 13 min in late June (computed for 1.08° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Mbale is served by one airport with scheduled flights. The closest large one is Soroti Airport (SRT), 94 km (58 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 6,100 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft.
Flights to Mbale: every airport, routes and times
Buses to Mbale · Driving and car hire
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Nairobi, 394 km (Kenya) — flights
- Kakamega, 110 km (Kenya)
- Kampala, 197 km — flights · buses · car rental · tours
- Nakuru, 261 km (Kenya)
- Nansana, 200 km — flights · buses · car rental · tours
- Ruiru, 397 km (Kenya) — flights
- Eldoret, 137 km (Kenya)
- Kira, 187 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Bunamwaya, 202 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Kisumu, 147 km (Kenya)
Common questions
Which airport serves Mbale?
Soroti Airport (SRT), 94 km (58 mi) from the centre.
How big is Mbale?
About 111,300 people live in Mbale (GeoNames).
What time zone is Mbale in?
Africa/Kampala, currently UTC+3.
What currency is used in Mbale?
The Shilling (UGX). Traffic drives on the left.
Which cities are near Mbale?
Nairobi (394 km), Kakamega (110 km), Kampala (197 km), Nakuru (261 km), Nansana (200 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.