Practical info for Ethiopia
Emergencies, embassy, entry requirements, money: the essentials before you go, with the official source and the date each piece of information was checked.
Embassy and entry requirements shown for travellers from: United Kingdom.
Emergency numbers
- Single emergency number911
- Police911
- Police991
- Medical emergencies907
- Medical emergencies8035
- Fire brigade939
Source: France Diplomatie, GOV.UK, French embassy, Portal das Comunidades Portuguesas, Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych RP · verified on 26/10/2026
Embassy and consulates
- British Embassy Addis AbabaEmbassy
- Address
- Comoros Street, Addis Ababa, PO Box 858, Ethiopia
- Consular emergency line
- To call us in an emergency or send us an online enquiry use our contact form: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/ethiopia/british-embassy-addis-ababa
Consular emergency numbers (emergencies only): FCDO, London (24 hours): +44 20 7008 5000.
Entry requirements
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included.
Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 26/10/2026 ›
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Safety and travel advice
Highest level according to GOV.UK (FCDO): FCDO advises against all travel to parts of the country; FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country.
Areas where FCDO advises against travel
FCDO advises against all travel to within:
FCDO advises against all travel to Tigray region.
FCDO advises against all travel to Amhara region.
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Currency and payments
Currency: Birr (ETB).
The ECB does not publish a reference rate for ETB.
Source: SIX Group (ISO 4217), European Central Bank, EU Publications Office · verified on 26/10/2026
Time difference
Local time: UTC+03:00, +3 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026).
The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
Source: IANA (time zones) · verified on 26/10/2026
Driving
Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “You can use your UK driving licence to drive for up to 2 weeks. To drive for longer, contact the Ethiopian Ministry of Transport and Logistics to apply for an Ethiopian driving licence.”
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Mobile networks
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: Safaricom (Sirocco, Airalo).
eSIM prices for Ethiopia
7 days, 5 GB · prices checked on 26/10/2026
3 brands compared, not an exhaustive listWhy this ranking?
Ranked by price: for each brand, the cheapest plan that covers 7 days and 5 GB.
Not an exhaustive comparison: 3 brands out of the dozens that sell eSIMs. The list of brands compared is in our Methodology.
eSIMeter is published by Mocom SAS, which sells Sirocco: the site is funded by those sales. No other brand pays us.
Frequently asked questions
What are the emergency numbers in Ethiopia?
Single emergency number: 911 ; Police: 911 ; Police: 991 ; Medical emergencies: 907 ; Medical emergencies: 8035 ; Fire brigade: 939
How do I contact the embassy or consulate in Ethiopia?
British Embassy Addis Ababa, Comoros Street, Addis Ababa, PO Box 858, Ethiopia. Consular emergency numbers (emergencies only): FCDO, London (24 hours): +44 20 7008 5000.
What are the entry requirements for Ethiopia?
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included. Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 26/10/2026.
What is the travel advice for Ethiopia?
Highest level according to GOV.UK (FCDO): FCDO advises against all travel to parts of the country; FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country. Areas where FCDO advises against travel FCDO advises against all travel to within: FCDO advises against all travel to Tigray region. FCDO advises against all travel to Amhara region.
What currency is used in Ethiopia?
Currency: Birr (ETB). The ECB does not publish a reference rate for ETB.
What is the time difference in Ethiopia?
Local time: UTC+03:00, +3 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026). The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
What should I know about driving in Ethiopia?
Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “You can use your UK driving licence to drive for up to 2 weeks. To drive for longer, contact the Ethiopian Ministry of Transport and Logistics to apply for an Ethiopian driving licence.”
Which mobile networks operate in Ethiopia?
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: Safaricom (Sirocco, Airalo).