Car hire and driving in Dire Dawa
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 DIR means 4 km (2 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 Dire Dawa
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dire Dawa to Harar | Ethiopia | 42 km (26 mi) | about 38 min |
| Dire Dawa to Ārabī | Ethiopia | 80 km (50 mi) | about 1 h 13 min |
| Dire Dawa to Jijiga | Ethiopia | 106 km (66 mi) | about 1 h 37 min |
| Dire Dawa to Debre Birhan | Ethiopia | 256 km (159 mi) | about 3 h 54 min |
| Dire Dawa to Kombolcha | Ethiopia | 285 km (177 mi) | about 4 h 21 min |
| Dire Dawa to Dessie | Ethiopia | 298 km (185 mi) | about 4 h 33 min |
| Dire Dawa to Nazrēt | Ethiopia | 308 km (191 mi) | about 4 h 42 min |
| Dire Dawa to Bishoftu | Ethiopia | 330 km (205 mi) | about 5 h 2 min |
| Dire Dawa to Addis Ababa | Ethiopia | 348 km (216 mi) | about 5 h 18 min |
| Dire Dawa to Weldiya | Ethiopia | 351 km (218 mi) | about 5 h 22 min |
| Dire Dawa to Āsela | Ethiopia | 352 km (218 mi) | about 5 h 22 min |
| Dire Dawa to Burayu | Ethiopia | 357 km (222 mi) | about 5 h 27 min |
| Dire Dawa to Gonder | Ethiopia | 585 km (363 mi) | about 8 h 55 min |
| Dire Dawa to Mek'ele | Ethiopia | 506 km (315 mi) | about 7 h 43 min |
| Dire Dawa to Warder | Ethiopia | 481 km (299 mi) | about 7 h 20 min |
| Dire Dawa to Awasa | Ethiopia | 467 km (290 mi) | about 7 h 7 min |
| Dire Dawa to Bahir Dar | Ethiopia | 537 km (334 mi) | about 8 h 12 min |
| Dire Dawa to Jimma | Ethiopia | 593 km (368 mi) | about 9 h 2 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 Dire Dawa?
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.