Does Uber work in Addis Ababa? The apps that do (2026)

Short answer: no. Uber does not run in Ethiopia, and neither does Bolt. Neither company lists Ethiopia among the countries it serves, as of October 2026. Open either app at Bole airport and you won't find a car.

That doesn't mean you're stuck. Addis Ababa has its own ride-hailing apps that work in much the same way: you set a pickup point, see a price and track the car to your door. Below you'll find which apps work, what you need before you can use them, and when a driver booked ahead is simply easier. If you'd rather skip the apps altogether, we can meet you at Bole arrivals with your name on a sign and drive you for the rest of your stay.

For every way of getting around the city, see how to get around Addis Ababa.

Why can't I find Uber or Bolt in Addis Ababa?

Neither company has launched here. Uber's African cities are in Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda. Bolt runs in countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria and South Africa. Ethiopia isn't on either list, and there is no sign of that changing soon.

Ethiopia's market grew around local companies instead. Ride-hailing arrived around 2016, and by 2021 more than 20 companies held e-taxi licences, almost all of them Ethiopian-owned. So if you use Uber or Bolt at home, plan to download a local app before you fly.

Which ride-hailing apps work in Addis Ababa?

Three apps are the ones visitors are most likely to use. All three work in Addis Ababa. None of them is meant for travel between cities.

• RIDE (from Hybrid Designs) is the long-established local app. It offers 4-seat sedans, 7-seat minivans and 12-seat minibuses, lets you book days ahead, and has fixed prices for airport trips. If the app won't connect, you can book by phone on 8294.
• Feres is RIDE's main local rival. It shows the price before you order and lets you schedule rides ahead. The dispatch line is 6090.
• Yango is an international app that launched in Addis Ababa in October 2023, run in Ethiopia with a local partner, ShuuFare. It was still active and still recruiting partner drivers in 2025.

There are smaller apps too, but they are less consistent from day to day. If one app shows no cars nearby, try another before giving up.

What do you need to use these apps as a visitor?

1. Mobile data on arrival. No data means no booking. You can buy a local SIM at an official carrier counter or shop, registered against your passport, or set up a travel eSIM before you fly. Bring your original passport; a photocopy helps. Our guide to getting a SIM card or eSIM in Ethiopia walks you through it.
2. A number drivers can call. Drivers often ring to confirm a landmark or entrance, sometimes in Amharic. A data-only eSIM gives you internet but no local number, and it can't receive SMS sign-up codes. A local SIM avoids both problems.
3. Small birr notes. Cash is the dependable fallback, even when an app shows a digital payment option. RIDE added telebirr, Ethio Telecom's mobile wallet, back in 2022, but wallets and cards won't always work for a visitor. Carry cash and confirm the price before the trip starts.
4. A plan for network outages. Mobile and internet networks can be shut during protests or unrest, sometimes without notice. If that happens, the apps go down too. Save your hotel's phone number, and your driver's if you have one.

Can you get an app ride from Bole airport?

Sometimes, but it isn't the easy plan it is at home. First you need a working SIM or eSIM, so getting your phone set up comes before anything else. Then you wait for a car to accept the trip and find you at the right door.

If you do take an app ride from Bole, a few simple habits keep it easy. Ignore drivers who approach you. Go to the pickup point the app shows. Check the plate and the driver's name, and make sure the trip has started in the app. Don't accept a different car or an off-app fare.

Most long-haul flights land in the small hours. At that time there are fewer app drivers around, you're tired, and you may not have a SIM yet. That's when a driver waiting at arrivals with your name on a sign is worth it. Our Bole airport pickup starts from $30 per car, and the exact price is confirmed in your quote before you fly. The evening before, we send you the driver's name and the car's plate, so you know exactly who to look for. More on your first hour in the country: how to get from Bole airport into Addis Ababa.

When is a pre-booked driver better than an app?

For a quick daytime trip across town, an app is usually fine and good value. A booked driver makes more sense when the trip is longer, later or more complicated:

• Night arrivals and early departures. You get a confirmed car and no SIM is needed on landing.
• Full sightseeing days. With apps, you book a fresh car at every stop. A day driver stays with you all day, drops you at the door from Entoto to the museums to Merkato, and helps you avoid scams and overcharging. A full day around Addis starts from $75 for up to about 10 hours; the exact price is confirmed in your quote.
• Trips out of the city. The apps are built for Addis Ababa, not intercity travel. A Bishoftu day trip starts from $80 per car, there and back. Addis to Hawassa starts from $150 per car, one way. Each exact price is confirmed in your quote.
• Families, groups and heavy luggage. Ask for an SUV in advance instead of hoping a big enough car turns up.

Paying is simpler too. You get one fixed quote by WhatsApp or email before the trip and pay us in US dollars or your own currency, so you need far less cash in birr. If you like, we also book your hotels and domestic flights in birr and add them to the same quote.

Can you travel beyond Addis Ababa by road?

Yes, to plenty of places. Bishoftu's crater lakes are an easy day out, and our drivers drive to Hawassa and the south regularly. Some governments currently advise against travel to parts of the north, including Lalibela; the south and the main roads to Bishoftu and Hawassa are busy with ordinary life. Advice changes, so check your own government's page before you book.

Before every trip outside Addis we do our own security check, using reports from our drivers across the country, and plan the route with you. For the bigger picture, read is it safe to travel by road in Ethiopia.

What's the simplest plan for your trip?

• Before you fly, install RIDE, Feres or Yango, and set up an eSIM or plan to buy a local SIM.
• For a late-night landing, book your airport pickup ahead and leave the apps for later.
• Use apps for short hops around the city in daylight, with small birr notes on you.
• For full days and trips out of town, book a driver with one fixed quote for the whole car.