What is the best way to get around Ethiopia? Flights, buses, ride apps or a driver

For most visitors, the best way to get around Ethiopia is a mix of two things: Ethiopian Airlines domestic flights for the long distances, and a car with a driver for everything on the ground. Ride apps work well for short hops inside Addis Ababa, and long-distance coaches are cheap but slow and early-rising. Uber does not operate in Ethiopia, and self-drive is rare.

This is the big-picture guide, as of October 2026. We're a family-run private driver service in Addis Ababa, so we'll be honest about when a driver is worth it and when a flight or an app makes more sense. For the trips we do every week, Bole airport, a day in Addis, Bishoftu, Hawassa and Arba Minch, we quote one fixed price for the whole car.

What are your options for getting around Ethiopia?

Domestic flights

Ethiopian Airlines runs the domestic network from Terminal 1 at Bole, and in February 2026 it announced that the network had grown to 26 destinations. Flights turn a full day on the road into about an hour in the air, which matters in a country this big. Dire Dawa (for Harar), Arba Minch, Hawassa and Jinka are all on the network.

Some northern routes are suspended right now. Flights to Mekelle, Axum and Shire in Tigray stopped on 23 September 2026, and Lalibela flights followed on 24 September. Ethiopian Airlines says Mekelle flights restart on 11 October; when we checked on 10 October there was no restart date for Axum, Shire or Lalibela. Read how domestic flights in Ethiopia work for check-in times, baggage and booking.

Long-distance coaches

Private coach companies such as Selam Bus link the main cities with fixed schedules and assigned seats. Buses don't travel after dark, so they leave around dawn, and long routes can take two days with a night stop. They are how many Ethiopians travel, but official advice for visitors leans towards private transport. Our guide on whether long-distance buses in Ethiopia are safe covers the companies and what to expect.

Minibuses

Shared minibuses run fixed routes in Addis and between towns, and usually leave when full. They are cheap and part of daily life, but crowded, and travel advice describes them as often involved in serious accidents. Fine for an adventure across town; not what we'd suggest for a long trip with luggage.

Ride apps in Addis Ababa

There's no Uber or Bolt. Instead, Addis has local apps: RIDE, Feres and Yango. They're good for short daytime trips around the city. Cash in small birr notes is the safest way to pay, and a local SIM helps drivers reach you. Outside Addis, don't count on them; Yango also covers Hawassa, but that's about it. See does Uber work in Addis Ababa and how to get around Addis Ababa for the details.

Self-drive

Possible, but rare and hard. Self-drive hire exists in Addis, but outside the capital cars usually come with a driver, and licence rules depend on your nationality. Roads are shared with people, donkeys and cattle, and night driving outside cities is a bad idea. Our page on whether foreigners can drive in Ethiopia explains the rules.

A car with a driver

This is how most foreign visitors travel by road, and it's what we do. You get the whole car, a sedan or SUV, and a local driver who knows the roads, the checkpoints and where to stop. You leave when you want, stop where you want, and your bags stay in the car. Our quotes include fuel, tolls, parking and the driver's food and lodging, so the price you agree is the price you pay.

How do the options compare?

Which option should you choose for each trip?

• Bole airport to your hotel. A pre-booked pickup is the easiest, especially at night. We're open 24/7, so whatever time you land, our driver meets you at arrivals with a name sign. Our Bole airport pickup is from $30 per car (night pickups cost a little more); your exact price is confirmed in your quote. Ride apps work too in daytime if you have data.
• A day in Addis Ababa. For one or two short trips, an app is fine. For a full day of sights, a driver by the day is easier: the car waits outside each stop. Ours is from $75 per day for up to about 10 hours; your exact price is confirmed in your quote.
• Bishoftu. About an hour down the expressway. A whole-car day trip is the simplest; our Bishoftu day trip is from $80 per car, and your exact price is confirmed in your quote. See how long Addis to Bishoftu takes by car.
• Hawassa. About 275 km on a paved road, roughly 4½ hours by car. We set off early in the morning so the whole drive is in daylight. You can fly, but by the time you've done check-in and airport transfers, driving is often as quick and lets you stop at the Rift Valley lakes. Our Addis to Hawassa trip is from $150 per car one way; your exact price is confirmed in your quote. More in how long Addis to Hawassa takes by car.
• Arba Minch. A long day of 8 to 10 hours by road, or about an hour's flight. By road you choose: one long day leaving Addis at dawn, or two easier days with a night in Hawassa on the way. Fly if time is short. Our Addis to Arba Minch trip is from $250 per car one way; your exact price is confirmed in your quote. See how long Addis to Arba Minch takes by car.
• Harar. Fly to Dire Dawa, then take the short road up to Harar. Don't drive from Addis: the long road east crosses areas under travel warnings. Our cars are based in Addis Ababa, but message us and we can book your flight to Dire Dawa and plan the rest with you.
• The north (Lalibela, Gondar, Bahir Dar, the Simien Mountains, Tigray). Not advised right now. Official advice is against all travel to Amhara and Tigray, and several flights are suspended. Spend that time in Addis, Bishoftu or the south instead.

Multi-day trips around the south, say Addis to Hawassa, on to Arba Minch and back, don't have a set price. Tell us your dates and stops and we'll send a fixed quote for the whole car.

What should you know about road travel right now?

Travel in daylight outside cities. Rural roads are often unlit, and you'll meet vehicles without lights and animals on the road. Our own rule for Hawassa and other long roads: we leave early in the morning and we don't drive them after about 3 pm or at night.

Fuel is short in 2026. Fuel availability has been limited across the country this year, which can delay journeys, especially outside Addis. Allow extra time on long trips. When you travel with us, finding fuel is our job, not yours.

Checkpoints are normal. Police checkpoints are common outside Addis and appear on main roads in the city too. Carry your passport, stay calm and follow instructions. Our drivers go through them every week.

Phone signal can drop. Mobile and internet services can be cut without warning in some regions, so share your plans with someone before a long drive.

Before every trip outside Addis we do our own security check, using reports from our network of drivers across Ethiopia, and we often know about a change before it reaches the news. We talk the plan through with you: the route, what time to leave, and whether to wait a day. Read more in is it safe to travel by road in Ethiopia.

Can someone book your flights as well as your driver?

Yes. If your trip mixes flights and road, for example flying to Arba Minch and driving back, or flying to Dire Dawa for Harar, we can book your domestic flights and hotels for you in birr. You pay us one amount in US dollars or your own currency, and your airport rides are already lined up around the flight times. It's one message on WhatsApp instead of juggling three bookings and two currencies.