Addis Ababa is the hub of Ethiopian Airlines and the seat of the African Union, so many visitors come for work, conferences or a stopover between flights. Beyond the capital, travellers fly to Dire Dawa for the walled city of Harar or head for the Bale Mountains. The historic north, with Lalibela, Gondar and Axum, is off-limits for now: the UK and the US advise against all travel to the Amhara and Tigray regions. Ethiopia is outside the EU's Roam Like at Home area, so a European SIM roams there at its operator's own rates.
Key facts for Ethiopia
- EU roaming: not covered by Roam Like at Home
- Local networks: Safaricom (depending on plan)
- Emergency numbers: police 991; ambulance 907 and fire 939 in Addis Ababa
- Embassies: in Addis Ababa
Regions to avoid
The UK advises against all travel to the Tigray, Amhara and Gambela regions, to parts of Afar, Oromia, Benishangul-Gumuz and the Somali region, and to most border areas, and against all but essential travel to much of the rest of Afar, Oromia and the Somali region. The US goes further and lists the whole of Oromia, the region that surrounds Addis Ababa, as do-not-travel, except Bishoftu and Bale Mountains National Park. All civilian flights to and from Tigray were suspended on 22 September 2026, and flights to the north can be cancelled at short notice. Fuel is also scarce across the country, with long queues at petrol stations.
Addis Ababa
Mugging is on the rise in Addis Ababa, and the UK names Bole Medhanealem, Bole Atlas, Meskel Square, Yeka Hills and Entoto among the areas where crime against foreigners has increased. Thieves snatch bags and jewellery from cars stopped at traffic lights and steal from parked cars, and pickpockets work around Bole International Airport. The US advises against walking or driving at night, so book a car through your hotel after dark. Protests and strikes can start with little or no notice and have sometimes turned violent.
When the networks go dark
Coverage is good in Addis Ababa, but the UK warns that mobile networks are not consistent or reliable and that the authorities may close them down with no notice. The US adds that internet, data and phone services are often restricted or shut down before, during and after unrest. Download offline maps, keep your hotel's address and your embassy's number on paper, and tell family at home that a silence may simply mean the network is down.
Laws to know
Drug possession can bring 5 to 10 years in prison and large fines. Khat is legal, but taking it out of the country is not. Same-sex acts are illegal for both men and women, with sentences of 1 to 15 years. It is illegal to photograph military zones or personnel and the area near the Presidential Palace, and you should ask before photographing people. Women are expected to dress conservatively, especially at religious sites.
Visas, health and money
Apply for an e-visa online before you travel, and carry a yellow fever certificate if you arrive from a country with a risk of transmission. The currency is the birr, and Ethiopia is a cash-based society: card payments and ATMs are limited and unreliable, especially outside the cities, and only a few places in Addis Ababa take credit cards. There are limits on the cash, in birr and in foreign currency, that you can bring in or take out, so check them before you travel.
Getting connected
A travel eSIM installed before departure picks up a network when you land at Bole International Airport, so you can message your hotel before you leave the terminal, and your home SIM keeps receiving texts and bank codes. An Africa plan also covers Kenya and Djibouti.
Ethiopian SIM cards are sold by Ethio Telecom and Safaricom, but the US notes that local SIMs only work in phones that have been registered, which you can do at the airport or in an Ethio Telecom shop.
Consular protection: who to call in Ethiopia
- Call 991 for the police. In Addis Ababa, 907 reaches the Ethiopian Red Cross ambulance service and 939 the fire brigade.
- Embassies are in Addis Ababa. The UK says that in the current situation its embassy may only be able to offer limited support in person. The Telcomia app shows yours, with address and phone.
- EU citizens whose country has no embassy or consulate in Ethiopia can ask any other EU country's embassy for help, which it must give as it would to its own nationals (Article 23 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU).
- Amharic is the federal working language, and English is widely used in hotels and business in Addis Ababa.
Questions travellers ask about Ethiopia
Will my EU tariff work in Ethiopia?
Only on roaming: Ethiopia is not part of Roam Like at Home, so your operator sets its own rates.
Can I visit Lalibela or the Simien Mountains?
Not at the moment. Both are in the Amhara region, where the UK and the US advise against all travel.
Which network does a Telcomia eSIM use in Ethiopia?
Safaricom Ethiopia, with 4G where available.
What should I do if the networks are shut down?
Shutdowns can come without warning. Keep key numbers and addresses on paper, and use your hotel's landline if you need to reach your embassy.
The short version
Install the eSIM before you fly, stay out of Amhara, Tigray and the other regions on the UK and US lists, use a hotel car after dark in Addis Ababa, carry birr, keep numbers on paper, and save 991 and 907.
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