Popular Airport | MD Douala Intl. Airport |
|---|---|
Popular Airlines | Ethiopian Airlines |
Approximate Flight Duration | 4 hour |
Approximate Travel Distance | 3254 Km |
Transportation to Airport from Addis Ababa City Center
Bole Intl. Airport
The airport, which is approximately 6 kilometers of the city center, is located on Bole Road. In the city where public transportation is not very developed, you can use minibuses to reach the airport. Taxi is another transportation alternative that is frequently preferred by visitors. In addition to these, you can get to the airport from the city center by renting a car or by benefitting from the airport shuttle service in case your hotel offers this service.
Minibus
You can reach the airport by getting on a minibus from the minibus stops located in the city center. Minibuses generally carry passengers to the airport from 5:30 am to 09:00 pm. Although it is relatively cheaper compared to taxi, you should remember that drivers may demand higher amounts from tourists. The fare is about 5 Birr. They may also charge extra amount for each baggage.
Hotel Shuttle
Hotel shuttle service is the most comfortable alternative for your travel to the airport. In Addis Ababa city center, there are both small hotels and accommodation centers of chain hotels such as Hilton, Radisson and Sheraton. Some of these hotels offer airport shuttle service. If your hotel offers this service and you want to benefit from this service for your travel to the airport, you should definitely make a reservation in advance.
Taxi
There are two types of taxis that you can get on to reach the airport. Mercedes taxis of the National Tour Operator (NTO) operate under a company and offer service with more comfortable vehicles. With their predetermined tariffs, they create a more reliable image in terms of the fares. You can ask your hotel to call a NTO taxi for you.
There is no taximeter in the taxis operating in Addis Ababa, so it is advised to agree on the fare before getting on. These yellow taxis are approximately 10 times more expensive than blue-white taxis. You can also reach the airport in a short time with a blue-white taxi which you can find in the city center or waiting in front of hotels. The average fare is between 80 and 100 Birr. The owners of these taxis aren’t companies but individuals. Since there is also no taximeter in blue-white taxis and fares are not standardized by a company, they are more flexible in terms of fares and you should definitely bargain.
Car Rental
You can rent a car from one of the car rental companies that you can find in the city center or from the offices of tour operators. You can also get help from your hotel about renting a car.
Since some roads in Addis Ababa have no name, there isn’t sufficient number of traffic signs throughout the city and there is no traffic light on many roundabouts, traffic flow isn’t in order. For this reason, renting a car during your visit may not be a good option. If you want to rent a car only for travelling to the airport from the city center, you should prefer a company which has an office at the airport.
In order to get to the airport with the car you have rented, connect to Bole Road in the city center, drive southeastward and follow the airport signs.
Airport Information
There are 2 terminals at the airport. Terminal 1, which offers service for domestic flights, is located in the old building. Terminal 2 offers service for international passenger transportation in the new building.
At Bole International Airport, there are many restaurants and cafes in addition to stores and a duty-free shop where you can do some shopping before your flight.
At the airport, there is also a lounge for passengers looking for a comfortable environment and a much larger lounge is now being constructed. Although there is no left luggage service at the airport, you can find other standard airport services such as pharmacy, currency exchange office and ATM.
Transportation to Douala City Center from Airport
MD Douala Intl. Airport
Located in the area known as Littoral in Cameroon, Douala is one of the largest cities in the country. Douala International Airport hosts the flights both within Cameroon and to different countries.
Douala International Airport is located 7 kilometers outside Douala city center. The incoming passengers can anytime go up to the city center by taking a taxi or taking advantage of private transfer services that are available in front of the terminal building. You can also benefit from the private transportation services offered by the companies having offices within the terminal building as well as the hotel transfer services to get to the city center.
It takes approximately 20-30 minutes to reach Douala city center from the airport by taxi and other transfer options.
Taxi stops, car rental office, souvenir shops, car parking areas, ATMs, and restaurants are among the services provided for the passengers at the airport located in Douala, the economic and commercial capital of Cameroon.
Hotel Transfer Services
There are many different hotel alternatives for the visitors in Douala. Moreover, some hotels in the city provide transfer services between Douala International Airport and the city center. By this means, you can walk to the exit gates as soon as you arrive at the terminal and enjoy the easy trasfer to the city center, a service provided by the hotel you have made a reservation for in advance. Especially if you are going to stay at a large hotel, you can take the opportunity to travel with the transfer services at a reasonable price or for free. You can inform your hotel of your arrival time in advance so that you can take advantage of the transfer services offered with a large luggage capacity without having to wait too much at the airport.
Airport Transfer Services
The passengers who are not provided with hotel shuttle services can book private airport transfer services. Private airport services in Douala offer two different transfer alternatives: you can either prefer the one exclusive to you (and your family) or the other as shared transfer service with other passengers at more affordable prices. You can get information from the hotels in the city before your flight or ask the information desk at Douala International Airport about how to make a reservation to enjoy private transfer services. Please keep in mind that you need to render payment for the transfer services and other transportation options in Douala with the Central African CFA Franc. In the event that you have no Central African CFA Franc on you, you can also make your payment in American Dollars or Euro. In this case, however, you should know that the transfer might be a little more costly.
Taxi
You can easily see yellow taxis at the terminal exits of Douala International Airport and head towards Douala city center by taking one of these taxis. If you have the chance to benefit from hotel shuttles or private transfer services, you can take advantage of going to the city center at a much cheaper price than taxis. However, if you don't have such an option, you can take a taxi anytime of the day and get to Doula city center with your luggage without having any difficulty. Taxi fare may vary depending on where you want to go in Douala. The passengers who take a taxi at the airport need to pay an average of 3.500 Central African CFA Francs to get to the city center and the fare may rise up to 10.000 Central African CFA Francs for some parts of the city. If you prefer an affordable means of transportation to reach Douala city center from the airport, you should firstly get information from the airport staff or the hotel and then choose a suitable option.
Another thing to note when taking a taxi at the airport is that taxi drivers may demand different amount of fares from the customers for the same distance. For this reason, if you want to travel at more affordable prices, you should firstly go out of the terminal building to negotiate with a few taxi drivers and then prefer the one with a more reasonable fare.
Taxi option is ideal especially for those who visit the city for the first time and are not familiar with the area. Moreover, taxi fare is not way too high in the daytime. If you arrive at the airport at night, you will need to pay a higher fare to get to Douala city center.
Instead of taxi, traveling with hotel shuttles or private transfer services in Douala would usually let you reach the city center for much cheaper. What is more, you don't generally have to pay extra for extra baggages, which helps you cut down on the total travel cost.
Rent a car
Make your own way! If you want to create your own route to the city center from the airport, you can rent a car. There is a car rental desk for the passengers who would like to take this option at Douala International Airport. You can contact in advance by phone or e-mail in order to pick up the car quickly from the car rental office located inside the incoming passenger terminal. Rental car options at the airport might be less especially at some periods during which the tourists visit the city densely. If you are going to rent a car for traveling in Douala, you should bear this in mind and put your skates on to reserve the car you want.
Bus
The passengers arriving at Douala International Airport in the early hours of the day can easily reach the city center by bus. The average fare for the single passenger is 150 XAF for the bus, which is much more comfortable during the day hours. There are four different bus lines connecting the airport with Douala city center. You can learn the area you are going to stay before your flight and take the right bus line; then, you can travel to the city center without difficulty. The departures of the buses from Douala International Airport to the city center are usually irregular. Therefore, bus option is not recommended for those who prefer a fast and practical means of transportation.
Private Taxi
You can book a taxi for a safe and economical ride from the airport in Douala. Once you get help from your hotel or guide when booking a taxi, you can enjoy the convenience of reaching even the distant areas without exceeding your budget. You can book the taxi considering the number of days you are going to stay in the city or you can only take advantage of this option to get to the city center. You can bargain with the drivers after determining the places you want to visit and enjoy the opportunity to travel with more affordable rates.
