From the airport to the city centre Ethiopia
Addis Ababa's international airport is just 20 minutes from the city center if traffic is smooth, and 40 minutes to over an hour in traffic jams. In any case, it's just 5 minutes from Bole, the liveliest district for hotels and restaurants, where most tourists stay. Terminal 2 handles international flights, while Terminal 1 (a 5-minute walk away) handles domestic flights and some international flights (Africa and the Middle East). The airport has completed the extension of its international terminal to boost its capacity from 10 to 22 million passengers by 2019.
To/from the airport. The major hotels have their own transfer service, free of charge to/from Bole (remember this when booking). If you can't find your driver on arrival, ask at the kiosks of other hotels, where staff are very helpful and will call the hotel in question. A cab will charge you between 250 and 500 birr depending on your destination (Bole 10 minutes away or downtown) and the time of day (cabs are more expensive at night, so add 50 birr at most). It's best to agree the fare before you get in.
Arrival by train Ethiopia
The new 728 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway line takes 12.5 hours to complete. It departs from Lebu, 12 km southwest of the capital, and opened to passengers in January 2018. A brand-new red-and-white train with uniformed hostesses on the platform: you'd almost think you were on the Thalys! All the more so as the huge, superb stations built along its route are monumental and still empty, something we're not used to in Ethiopia. Except that here we have to deal with a new problem: the numerous animals that have passed under the rails (which delays the train). Inside, we sit on brand-new red benches or blue berths in two comfort categories (4 or 6 people per compartment, like our good old sleeper trains). There's a dining car with tables too.
Departure stations and tickets. The Addis Ababa-Lebu station is a 45-minute cab ride from the capital, and is still unknown to drivers and Google Maps (GPS coordinates 8.933079, 38.687020). On the Djibouti side, it takes 15 minutes by cab from the center to the new Nagad station in the south of the city behind the airport (GPS coordinates 11.529425, 43.131787). Tickets for Djibouti must be purchased at least 24 hours in advance of departure, with visa and passport in hand at Lebu. Tickets can also be purchased in town at the old train station next to the Leghar metro station under the Churchill Avenue bridge. Tickets must be purchased at least one day before departure. On the Djibouti side, the station is closer to the center, so we advise you to go there directly to buy your ticket for Ethiopia. As for intermediate towns, the station is still the best option, accessible in one bajaj ride. In Dire Dawa, tickets can also be purchased downtown, at the Ethio-Djibouti Railway (EDR) ticket office in the old train station in the Kezira district.
Stations in Ethiopia and Djibouti. Stops currently available at four stations: Adama, Debre Zeit and Awash Saba and Dire Dawa towards the east of the country, before Ali Sabieh and Djibouti stations on the other side of the border. The train runs from Addis Ababa to Djibouti on odd-numbered days (except the 31st) of each month, and from Djibouti to Addis Ababa on even-numbered days.
Departure times and stops. Departure on odd-numbered days from Addis Ababa-Lebu at 8 a.m., passing through Adama at 9.41 a.m., Dire Dawa at 3.35 p.m., Ali Sabieh at 7.44 p.m., arriving in Nagad-Djibouti at 8.40 p.m. In the other direction, departure on odd-numbered days from Nagad-Djibouti 8 a.m., passing through Ali Sabieh at 8.51 a.m., Dire Dawa 12.50 p.m., Adama 6.54 p.m. and arriving in Addis Ababa-Lebu at 8.40 p.m.
Lebu ticket office open daily from 8am to 11.20am and from 2pm to 4pm. Ticket office in the center of Addis Ababa at Leghar metro station open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to 11.30am. Dire Dawa ticket office in the Kezira center open from 9.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Prices: Addis Ababa from/to Djibouti seat 36 US$, 6-seater berth 74 US$, 4-seater berth (VIP) 98 US$. Addis Ababa from/to Dire Dawa seat 22 US$, 6-berth berth 44 US$, 6-berth berth (VIP) 60 US$.
Visa formalities for Djibouti. It is normally possible for non-Ethiopians to cross the border by train. However, please check with the Djibouti embassy. You'll need to apply for a visa at the embassy in Paris or Addis Ababa before you leave, as visas cannot be purchased at this border (by road on working days, but not by train), and e-visa is not accepted at this land border (only at the airport). You'll need a passport valid for six months after your return, a copy of your passport, two passport photos, a copy of your hotel reservation in Djibouti, a copy of your yellow fever vaccination on an international vaccination booklet, and a return air ticket from Djibouti. The visa costs US$90 for one month.
Public transport Ethiopia
Addis Ababa Light Rail. The streetcar network in central Addis Ababa, inaugurated in 2015, comprises two lines: No. 1 east-west from Tor Hailoch to Ayat and No. 2 north-south from Menelik II Square to Kaliti (via Merkato, Lideta and Meskel Square). In theory, the route is convenient if you want to get to the center without taking a cab. In practice, the line is ultra-busy, with almost 120,000 passengers a day for a capacity of 60,000. If you want to give it a try, just avoid rush hour and watch your pockets!
By luxury bus. Ethio Bus (three branches: Mesquel Square Amebesa Building/Piazza Taitu Hotel/Yeha City Center. +251 947 909 090; +251 947 929 292; +251 947 919 191) is the most recommended company for touring the country in luxury buses. We appreciate the comfort and safety of the vehicles. It has three branches in the city. A ticket from Addis Ababa to Bahar Dar costs between 850 and 1,000 birr. From Addis Ababa, remember that everything is a long way by road. Gondar, Bahar Dar, Dessie (but not Lalibela, you'll have to take a local bus to Dessie) and even further afield, Mekele, can be reached in ten to twelve hours. To the south, Ethio Bus serves Hawassa and Arba Minch, both tourist stops, and to the east Dire Dawa, not far from beautiful Harar. For Jinka, the easiest way is by plane.
With a driver Ethiopia
Cabs and bajajs. To get around Addis Ababa, you can use the rather rickety old Lada cabs for short trips. We recommend the Adika and Ride cab apps, which are handy for getting to the center. To get around other towns and cities, bajajs are legion throughout Ethiopia. For a handful of birrs, you can gravitate between the tourist and entertainment areas without any problems. The only exception: in Harar, the cabs are vintage blue-and-white Peugeot 404s!
With a 4 x 4, you have a driver in Ethiopia. The driving is more than difficult, with goats, donkeys, ploughs and children in the middle of the road, as well as difficult terrain and signposting. You really need to know how to drive and be an excellent driver, to avoid the many trucks driving very dangerously on the long, often mountainous roads. Local agencies employ excellent drivers who are not guides. Some of them speak English and can help you organize excursions with local guides. The red Chinese trucks are even nicknamed "the shebabs" because of the number of accidents they cause and the unscrupulous drivers on board. The Addis-Ababa-Harar road is undoubtedly the most dangerous: on the way to Djibouti and its export port, trucks are very numerous.
