Car hire and driving in Bahir Dar
Driving distances to the cities around, the rules that change at the border, and where to compare rental prices.
In Ethiopia traffic drives on the right. Picking up at BJR means 8 km (5 mi) into the centre before the trip starts. The emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648865 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648866 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648868.
Drives from Bahir Dar
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bahir Dar to Debre Tabor | Ethiopia | 74 km (46 mi) | about 1 h 8 min |
| Bahir Dar to Gonder | Ethiopia | 112 km (70 mi) | about 1 h 43 min |
| Bahir Dar to Debre Mark’os | Ethiopia | 143 km (89 mi) | about 2 h 11 min |
| Bahir Dar to Weldiya | Ethiopia | 241 km (150 mi) | about 3 h 41 min |
| Bahir Dar to Dessie | Ethiopia | 250 km (155 mi) | about 3 h 49 min |
| Bahir Dar to Kombolcha | Ethiopia | 263 km (163 mi) | about 4 h |
| Bahir Dar to Nek’emtē | Ethiopia | 294 km (183 mi) | about 4 h 29 min |
| Bahir Dar to Inda Silasē | Ethiopia | 295 km (184 mi) | about 4 h 30 min |
| Bahir Dar to Mek'ele | Ethiopia | 310 km (192 mi) | about 4 h 43 min |
| Bahir Dar to Debre Birhan | Ethiopia | 316 km (197 mi) | about 4 h 49 min |
| Bahir Dar to Burayu | Ethiopia | 317 km (197 mi) | about 4 h 50 min |
| Bahir Dar to Addis Ababa | Ethiopia | 322 km (200 mi) | about 4 h 54 min |
| Bahir Dar to Jijiga | Ethiopia | 642 km (399 mi) | about 9 h 47 min |
| Bahir Dar to Nazrēt | Ethiopia | 396 km (246 mi) | about 6 h 2 min |
| Bahir Dar to Warder | Ethiopia | 1,012 km (629 mi) | about 15 h 26 min |
| Bahir Dar to Awasa | Ethiopia | 518 km (322 mi) | about 7 h 54 min |
| Bahir Dar to Dire Dawa | Ethiopia | 537 km (334 mi) | about 8 h 12 min |
| Bahir Dar to Jimma | Ethiopia | 440 km (273 mi) | about 6 h 43 min |
Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.
Where to compare car hire
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Common questions
Which side of the road do they drive on in Bahir Dar?
The right, as everywhere in Ethiopia.
How are the journey times on this page worked out?
From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.
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 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel 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.