Picking Up a Rental Car at Bole International Airport: The Full Arrival Process

Picking up a rental car at Bole International Airport runs in five steps. You clear passport control in Terminal 2, collect your bags, go through customs, meet our team member holding a sign with your name, and take over the car at the airport car park. With Drive Ethiopia, a self-drive car can be handed over at any hour, including late and early flights. Some of the paperwork is done before you land and the rest at the handover, so the time at the car is mostly the walk-round and the keys.

This guide follows the whole arrival in order: what happens inside the terminal, what to have ready, what to check at the car, and the first drive out of the airport.

Before you fly

Most of what slows an airport handover is sorted before you leave home.

• Your visa. The UK government advises applying online for a tourist visa before you travel, through the official Ethiopian e-visa platform. Visa on arrival exists only for eligible nationalities. Our e-visa guide walks through the application and the copycat sites to avoid.
• Your passport. It must be valid for at least six months after the date you arrive.
• Your licence and IDP. For self-drive you need a valid driving licence and, in most cases, an International Driving Permit. Requirements vary slightly by nationality, so we confirm them when you book. The full list is in our guide to car rental requirements in Ethiopia.
• Your flight details. Send us your flight number and arrival time when you book, so the handover is set for when you actually land.
• Some paperwork in advance. Part of the paperwork is done before you land and the rest at the handover. We tell you which is which when we confirm your booking.
• Offline maps. Download them before you leave. The UK government warns that GPS signal is unreliable within Addis Ababa and nearby areas.

Step 1: Passport control in Terminal 2

International flights at Bole use Terminal 2. Terminal 1 handles domestic flights, so if you are connecting from another Ethiopian city, tell us which terminal you are arriving at.

After you leave the aircraft, follow the signs to passport control. Ethiopian Airlines, in arrival information last reviewed in August 2026, says travellers who qualify for a visa on arrival should check with the airport immigration office, and everyone else must arrive holding a valid entry visa. It is specific about one trap: passengers with incomplete e-visa documents, or only proof of payment, will not be allowed to enter. Have the approved e-visa itself ready, printed or on your phone.

If you are arriving from a country with yellow fever transmission risk, you need a certificate showing you have had the vaccination. Some travellers also have to complete a health declaration or Ministry of Health survey before arrival. Your airline can tell you if that applies to your departure country.

Step 2: Baggage claim

While you queue for passport control, a wide screen in the arrivals area shows which belt your bags will come off.

If a bag is missing or damaged, go to the Ethiopian Airlines Customer Service Desk in the baggage claim area before you leave. It is staffed 24 hours a day, every day. The airline says it aims to deliver delayed bags within 24 hours, so give them the address of your hotel. If you are held up at the desk, message us so we know you will be a little longer.

Step 3: Customs

Ethiopian customs runs Green and Red channels. Use Red if you have something to declare. Before you exit, all baggage and hand luggage goes through an X-ray machine.

Item	The rule
Foreign cash	Declare amounts over USD 10,000 or the equivalent. Keep the declaration form, because you need it to take cash above that amount out again
Ethiopian birr	You can carry up to 3,000 birr in or out
Drones, binoculars, satellite phones	Illegal to import without prior approval from the Customs and Information Network and Security Agency. Unapproved items can be confiscated
Specialist filming or audio equipment	Check with your tour operator or local contact before you travel

The customs rules above are from the UK government's Ethiopia advice, updated 30 October 2026. This matters for birdwatchers. If you plan to bring binoculars, ask about approval well before you fly.

Step 4: Meeting us

Once you are through customs, our team member meets you with a sign showing your name. From there you go together to the car, which is waiting in the airport car park.

Stay with the person you have booked. The UK government advises using only buses or taxis from the airport that your hotel or travel company has organised. It also warns of petty theft around Bole International Airport, particularly pickpockets and bag snatchers. Keep your phone and passport in a zipped pocket while you walk to the car park, and keep your bags with you.

If you can't see us, message us on WhatsApp or call. Our Addis Ababa team is on WhatsApp and phone throughout your rental.

Step 5: The handover at the car

This is where you take responsibility for the car, so give it ten minutes even after a long flight.

• Walk round the car. Photograph every existing mark with our team member present, including the windscreen, the wheels and the bumpers.
• Check the insurance sticker. Ethiopian law requires the third-party insurance sticker to be displayed on the windscreen. Comprehensive and third-party insurance are both included in every Drive Ethiopia rental.
• Check the fuel. Every self-drive car is handed over with a full tank, and you return it full.
• Sign what is left. Whatever was not done before you landed is completed here. Read the contract before you sign, and keep your copy in the car.
• Save the numbers. Make sure you have our emergency contact and that the rental papers are in the car.
• Adjust everything before you move. Seat, mirrors, and a quick look at the lights and wipers. Then set your route on the offline map while you are still parked.

Keep a copy of your passport photo page, visa and entry stamp in the car. The UK government advises carrying a copy at all times, and there are police checkpoints on the roads.

Driving away from Bole

The airport sits inside Addis Ababa, so your first drive is city driving. If it is your first time in the city, read our guide to driving in Addis Ababa on the plane. The short version:

• Pedestrians cross anywhere, minibus taxis stop without warning, and roundabout entry is assertive.
• On weekdays the rush hours are 7 to 9 in the morning and 5 to 7 in the evening.
• Keep windows closed, doors locked and bags out of sight. The UK government warns of bag and jewellery snatching from vehicles at traffic lights.
• The UK government also reports more crime against foreign and Ethiopian nationals in some parts of Addis Ababa, including Bole Medhanealem and Bole Atlas, both close to the airport. It advises not travelling alone in those areas if possible, taking care on foot, and using road transport where you can, especially after dark.
• Don't plan to leave the city on your first evening. The UK government advises against driving after dark anywhere outside Addis Ababa.

Arriving tired or late

A self-drive car can be handed over at any hour. Whether you want to drive straight after a night flight is a different question.

If you land late or tired, there are two easy alternatives. An airport transfer takes you to your hotel from $35 each way, and you start the self-drive rental the next day. Or book a car with a driver, from $60 a day, for the first part of the trip and switch to self-drive later.

Money on arrival

The UK government describes Ethiopia as a cash-based society, with card payments and ATMs limited and unreliable, especially outside cities. If you change money into birr, keep the receipt. Without it you are unlikely to be able to change leftover birr back when you leave. Our guide to money in Ethiopia covers cash, cards and tipping.

Returning the car at Bole

If you want to return the car at the airport, ask when you book, and agree the time then. Allow for the evening rush if your flight leaves at night, and bring the car back full, because the fuel policy is full to full.

FAQ

Can I pick up a rental car at Bole International Airport?

Yes. Drive Ethiopia hands over self-drive cars at Bole on request. Our team member meets you with a name sign after customs, and the handover happens at the car in the airport car park.

Can I collect a rental car on a late-night flight into Addis Ababa?

Yes. We hand over self-drive cars at any hour. If you would rather not drive after a long flight, take an airport transfer from $35 and start the self-drive rental the next day.

What do I need to pick up a rental car at Bole airport?

Your passport, your driving licence and, in most cases, an International Driving Permit. Some of the paperwork is done before you land and the rest at the handover. We confirm what is needed for your nationality when you book.

Which terminal do international flights use at Bole?

Terminal 2. Terminal 1 handles domestic flights.

Should I take a taxi from Bole airport instead?

The UK government advises using only buses or taxis organised by your hotel or travel company. If you book your own taxi, it advises a yellow or app-based taxi rather than the blue and white ones.

Can I bring binoculars or a drone into Ethiopia?

Not without prior approval. Importing drones, binoculars or satellite phones without approval from the Customs and Information Network and Security Agency is illegal, and unapproved items can be confiscated.

Book your Bole airport pickup

Tell us your flight number, arrival time, the car you want and how long you need it. You will have a reply within two hours and a quote within 24 hours.

Rent a self-drive car, book an airport transfer, or send us your plans.

Terminal 2 photograph by CAPTAIN RAJU, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.