Isiolo is well connected by matatu to the nearby highlands towns. From Meru (about 90km south) the journey takes roughly 1.5 hours; from Nanyuki it is about an hour. There are also direct matatus from Nairobi — departing from the Eastleigh area — which take around four hours on a good day. Buses also cover the Nairobi route.
Heading north, the Isiolo–Moyale highway (A2) is now paved all the way to the Ethiopian border, a significant change from the rough dirt road it used to be. This has transformed overland travel on the northern corridor. Transport north of Isiolo still tends to be demand-dependent rather than scheduled — matatus and shared vehicles go when they are full. Fill up with petrol in Isiolo before heading north; fuel becomes scarce and more expensive as you get further into the frontier country.