Get In
By Plane
Bole International Airport, the busiest airport in East Africa and the hub of Ethiopian Airlines, is serviced by several international airlines with daily flights to Europe, United States, and Asia as well as inter-African destinations including Accra, Bamako, Brazzaville, Cairo, Dakar, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Khartoum, Harare, Johannesburg, Nairobi and many more cities in Africa.
There are two terminals. T1 (the older, smaller one) is for all domestic flights and most flights to neighbouring nations (but not Kenya). T2 (the newer 2003 building) is for all other international flights - arrangements may change so check first.
As of July 2012 access into the terminals is restricted. Anyone at the airport to meet you, plus taxis, will be out in the carpark. A dozen of the top hotels still have a booth inside the arrivals area. Similar rules apply at the other airports in the country, for both arrivals and departures. Most hotels will pick you up for free - inquire at booking.
By Car
Most of the roads are in good condition.
Routes through Addis Ababa
By Bus
Bus terminals:
Autobus Terra near Mercato. This is the main bus terminal where most of the national buses arrive and depart.
Meskel Square (formerly from the railway station). Buses to/from Adama (Nazret), Debre Zeyit, Dire Dawa, Nairobi, Lalibela, Shahemene, Awasa and Bahir Dar are here.
Buses west to Nekempte and beyond go from ASCO on the old Ambo Road.
By Train
There is no longer a train service in Addis Ababa. Only passenger train runs between Dire Dawa and Djibouti. Inter-city light-rail transport system is under construction and should be finished by 2016.
Get Around
Sample Minibus prices
Short trips 1.50-3 ETB
Medium trips 3.80 ETB
Long trips 7 ETB
Most conductors do not charge foreigners more than locals but it is not uncommon to hand over a 10 birr note and receive only 5 back for a short trip. Another way to go is to offer exact change, say 2 birr and then pay more if asked. There will be no hard feelings.
Sample Taxi prices
Short trips within one area 30 ETB (shared bajaj 3 ETB)
Medium trips 80-120 ETB
Long trips 120-180 ETB
Very Long trips 180+ ETB
As of May 2014 (based on Addis Ababa public transport prices)
Streets increasingly have names, but the names are not widely known or mapped; use landmarks to navigate the city.
Blue-white Minibuses
Blue and white minibuses/taxis travel quite efficiently around the town. Since they are full of people most of the time, it is very cheap too, usually between 1-3 Birr depending on how far you are going. To catch a minibus, stand on the side of the road and hail it. This can be done anywhere it is possible for the bus to stop. The conductor inside will call out the destination, and if that's where you want to go: get on. You pay the conductor when he signals to you that he wants money (which might take a few minutes) to get change. To get out say "woraj alle", or just "woraj". It is worth having an experienced guide with you if it is your first time using these taxis, since it can be quite chaotic to find out which minibuses go where, and from what places. It is acceptable to ask if the taxi (minibus) will go by your destination on its way. For example, if you want to take a taxi from Bole road to Black Lion Hospital (Tikur Anbessa) you can hail a taxi headed to Piazza (which the conductor will be yelling out the window but it might sound like 'assa! assa!') and when he stops ask 'Tikur Anbessa?' using a rising tone to indicate the question. Usually he or another passenger will nod. Often if you do this the conductor will stop the taxi at your destination without you even needing to request the stop. It also serves to allow the conductor to determine how much to charge you. Indeed, one of the main challenges to using the taxis is recognizing the name of your destination being yelled from the window. Don't hesitate to ask folks on the street: "Taxi to Stadium?" and watch where they point. Small, blue coloured Lada taxis are more expensive. Negotiation is the norm and you often have to press quite hard to get a bargain as a foreigner. They can be contracted for a single trip, an hour, or a full day; just negotiate. Do not be surprised if the price of the taxi increases at night for the same trip. Airport to city is now 16-250 birr (haggle!). Hiring a car for a day-trip will be quite expensive as well - including a trip to Mt. Entoto to see St. Mary Church and the other sites from above, expect to pay 900birr. NEVER pay 900birr for a taxi. You should be able to rent a taxi for 600 birr for the whole day. Remember, it's only 20birr / liter for gasoline.
Blue-White Taxi in Central Bole-Michel
Yellow and green taxis usually hang around hotels like the Sheraton. They are more expensive, but reliable, and if you're willing to pay for peace of mind, slightly better drivers and a car that wasn't featured in the Flintstones (comfortable ride and vehicle usually in good working order). Use these cars. Walking in Addis Ababa is a pleasant and sensible way of getting around. Locals will happily greet you, ask you how you are doing and so on.
Addis Ababa is the starting point of the famous Ethiopia Historical Circuit.
