Popular Airport | Al Najaf Intl. Airport |
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Popular Airlines | |
Approximate Flight Duration | 3 hour 10 min |
Approximate Travel Distance | 2619 Km |
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
In order to go to Najaf city center from Najaf Airport, you need to choose from options such as taxi, rental car or transfer services, as there is no public transportation from the airport to the city center. If the transfer services or renting a car from car rental companies is not reasonable in terms of time, taking a taxi will be a better choice for you. You can reach the city center from the airport in maximum 10-15 minutes.
You can easily see the taxis when you go outside the terminal building of Najaf International Airport. Many of these taxis are run by the private taxi companies and there are also the taxis that do not use taximeter. To an extent, Najaf is also famous for its expensive taxis. The taxi drivers take the passengers from the airport for Najaf city center for 13-17 dollars. Hello Taxi (+964 750 418 0000) is the most convenient and reliable one of these private taxi companies. Transportation by taxi takes about 10-15 minutes.
The only way of reaching the city center from Najaf Airport both economically and comfortably is to rent a car. There are not many alternatives at the airport; however, you can make a quick search on internet before your flight. Renting a car, which is more economical compared to taking a taxi, also allows you to save time during your journey. You can drive to Najaf city center in just 10 minutes by the car you can rent at Najaf Airport.