Car hire and driving in Bishoftu
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 ADD means 32 km (20 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 Bishoftu
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bishoftu to Nazrēt | Ethiopia | 39 km (24 mi) | about 36 min |
| Bishoftu to Addis Ababa | Ethiopia | 40 km (25 mi) | about 36 min |
| Bishoftu to Sebeta | Ethiopia | 44 km (27 mi) | about 40 min |
| Bishoftu to Burayu | Ethiopia | 47 km (29 mi) | about 43 min |
| Bishoftu to Āsela | Ethiopia | 91 km (56 mi) | about 1 h 23 min |
| Bishoftu to Debre Birhan | Ethiopia | 120 km (74 mi) | about 1 h 50 min |
| Bishoftu to Shashamane | Ethiopia | 178 km (110 mi) | about 2 h 42 min |
| Bishoftu to Hosa’ina | Ethiopia | 182 km (113 mi) | about 2 h 47 min |
| Bishoftu to Awasa | Ethiopia | 196 km (122 mi) | about 2 h 59 min |
| Bishoftu to Debre Mark’os | Ethiopia | 224 km (139 mi) | about 3 h 25 min |
| Bishoftu to Sodo | Ethiopia | 249 km (155 mi) | about 3 h 48 min |
| Bishoftu to Jimma | Ethiopia | 265 km (164 mi) | about 4 h 2 min |
| Bishoftu to Jijiga | Ethiopia | 425 km (264 mi) | about 6 h 29 min |
| Bishoftu to Gonder | Ethiopia | 459 km (285 mi) | about 7 h |
| Bishoftu to Mek'ele | Ethiopia | 530 km (330 mi) | about 8 h 5 min |
| Bishoftu to Warder | Ethiopia | 728 km (452 mi) | about 11 h 6 min |
| Bishoftu to Bahir Dar | Ethiopia | 361 km (224 mi) | about 5 h 30 min |
| Bishoftu to Dire Dawa | Ethiopia | 330 km (205 mi) | about 5 h 2 min |
| Bishoftu to Dessie | Ethiopia | 274 km (170 mi) | about 4 h 11 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 Bishoftu?
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.