Asmara: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Asmara is the capital of Eritrea (Maekel), 2,334 m (7,657 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Asmara International Airport (ASM), 6 km (4 mi) from the centre. It has 1 railway station on record, including Asmara railway station. Our booking partner lists 3 places to stay.
Key facts
Daylight in Asmara runs from about 11 h 15 min a day in late December to 13 h 5 min in late June (computed for 15.34° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Asmara is served by one airport with scheduled flights. The closest large one is Asmara International Airport (ASM), 6 km (4 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 9,842 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft.
Flights to Asmara: every airport, routes and times
By rail: stations on record include Asmara railway station. Trains to Asmara
Buses to Asmara · Driving and car hire
Where to stay
Our booking partner lists 3 places to stay in Asmara. Of the 3 with a star rating, the largest group is 3-star (2), and 1 are five-star. Guests have left 39 reviews in total.
Hotels in Asmara: the full picture, and book
What people come for
UNESCO World Heritage in the city: Asmara: A Modernist African City.
Tours, tickets and day trips from Asmara
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Gonder, 343 km (Ethiopia) — flights
- Mek'ele, 213 km (Ethiopia) — flights
- Kassala, 272 km (Sudan) — flights
- Ādīgrat, 131 km (Ethiopia)
- Weldiya, 397 km (Ethiopia)
- Inda Silasē, 154 km (Ethiopia) — flights
Twin towns and sister cities: Florence, Khartoum, Berkeley, Atlanta, Nevers.
Common questions
Which airport serves Asmara?
Asmara International Airport (ASM), 6 km (4 mi) from the centre.
How big is Asmara?
About 563,930 people live in Asmara, across 12,158 km² (GeoNames and Wikidata).
What time zone is Asmara in?
Africa/Asmara, currently UTC+3.
What currency is used in Asmara?
The Nakfa (ERN). Traffic drives on the right.
How many hotels are there in Asmara?
Our booking partner lists 3 places to stay in Asmara, bookable on this site.
Which cities are near Asmara?
Gonder (343 km), Mek'ele (213 km), Kassala (272 km), Ādīgrat (131 km), Weldiya (397 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.