Car hire and driving in Jimma
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 JIM means 2 km (1 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 Jimma
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jimma to Hosa’ina | Ethiopia | 113 km (70 mi) | about 1 h 44 min |
| Jimma to Sodo | Ethiopia | 137 km (85 mi) | about 2 h 5 min |
| Jimma to Nek’emtē | Ethiopia | 160 km (99 mi) | about 2 h 26 min |
| Jimma to Awasa | Ethiopia | 193 km (120 mi) | about 2 h 57 min |
| Jimma to Arba Minch | Ethiopia | 199 km (123 mi) | about 3 h 2 min |
| Jimma to Shashamane | Ethiopia | 202 km (125 mi) | about 3 h 5 min |
| Jimma to Dīla | Ethiopia | 215 km (134 mi) | about 3 h 17 min |
| Jimma to Sebeta | Ethiopia | 240 km (149 mi) | about 3 h 40 min |
| Jimma to Burayu | Ethiopia | 252 km (156 mi) | about 3 h 50 min |
| Jimma to Āsela | Ethiopia | 255 km (159 mi) | about 3 h 53 min |
| Jimma to Addis Ababa | Ethiopia | 259 km (161 mi) | about 3 h 57 min |
| Jimma to Bishoftu | Ethiopia | 265 km (164 mi) | about 4 h 2 min |
| Jimma to Jijiga | Ethiopia | 682 km (424 mi) | about 10 h 24 min |
| Jimma to Gonder | Ethiopia | 552 km (343 mi) | about 8 h 25 min |
| Jimma to Mek'ele | Ethiopia | 709 km (440 mi) | about 10 h 49 min |
| Jimma to Nazrēt | Ethiopia | 285 km (177 mi) | about 4 h 21 min |
| Jimma to Warder | Ethiopia | 941 km (585 mi) | about 14 h 21 min |
| Jimma to Bahir Dar | Ethiopia | 440 km (273 mi) | about 6 h 43 min |
| Jimma to Dire Dawa | Ethiopia | 593 km (368 mi) | about 9 h 2 min |
| Jimma to Dessie | Ethiopia | 492 km (306 mi) | about 7 h 30 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 Jimma?
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.