There is no modern form of public transport to the airport, so taxis or mobile ride-sharing apps are the only relevant options.
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Taxi
There are two types of taxis in Addis Ababa.
Yellow taxis
Only the more modern yellow taxis are allowed from the airport to the city centre. Exit the arrivals hall and walk about 50 metres to the right to the dispatcher's booth.
There are no taxi meters here, however the dispatcher will show you fixed prices to major hotels and sites in Addis Ababa.
Prices to the centre are around 400 etb and it's always a good idea to check consistently with the dispatcher as well as the taxi driver for an agreed price.
Payment is only possible in cash.
Blue and white taxis
The well-known blue and white taxis, which are mainly driven by old Soviet Lada cars, are the most common mode of transport around the city.
These taxis are not allowed to go directly to the terminal and pick people up from the airport, but can go from the centre to the outskirts of the airport area.
When travelling from the centre, the price is lower than the yellow cabs and should not exceed 300 etb, however as a tourist you will often have to bargain long and hard.
RIDE mobile app
Internationally known ride-sharing apps such as Bolt, Uber and Grab do not work in Addis Ababa.
However, their local equivalent, the RIDE app, works here. You can download it via the official App Store / Google Play.
You can see the price up front and don't have to haggle. The prices are also lower than yellow cabs and you only pay in cash, so you don't enter your card details into the app.
The normal price to Addis Ababa city centre is around 300 etb.
However, to use the app, it's almost essential to have a sim card with a local phone number, not just data.
This is because RIDE app drivers almost always call their passengers to tell them exactly where they are, and if you don't answer your phone, they will cancel the ride.
Public transport
There is no form of public transportation that runs to or near the terminal that is even remotely usable by international visitors.
Car rental
There is no car rental company based at Addis Ababa Airport and in general it is quite difficult to impossible to rent a car as a tourist in Ethiopia.
