Getting to Djibouti City and Around by Rail, Boat and 4x4

Because Djibouti City sits on a compact coastal peninsula, arriving from the airport takes only fifteen minutes, while ferries and paved highways radiate outward across the Gulf of Tadjoura and into the Ethiopian highlands.

From Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport (JIB) to the centre

Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport (JIB) lies just 6 kilometres south of Place Ménélik and the northern hotel peninsulas, making it one of the closest capital airports in Africa:

• Hotel courtesy shuttles: most international and boutique hotels in Héron, Plateau du Serpent and the European Quarter provide pre-booked airport collection; confirm your flight number a day ahead.
• Official airport taxis: green-and-white taxis wait outside the arrivals concourse. They do not use meters, and official tariff boards list fixed zone fares into the city centre and hotel peninsulas (with a standard surcharge after nightfall); agree on the exact price in Djiboutian francs or US dollars before loading your bags.

The Addis Ababa to Djibouti Railway (Nagad Station)

The historic metre-gauge Chemin de Fer Franco-Éthiopien (whose turn-of-the-century terminus still stands near the old port) has been replaced by the electrified standard-gauge Addis Ababa to Djibouti Railway (EDR). Passenger trains arrive and depart from Nagad Railway Station on the southern edge of Djibouti City near the airport, connecting via Ali Sabieh across the border to Dire Dawa and Addis Ababa (Furi-Labu). Check the official railway schedule locally, as passenger departures alternate on specific days of the week, and carry your printed e-visa or embassy visa for border formalities.

Getting around town, Khor Ambado and the Gulf

Inside the central peninsula between Place Ménélik, Place Mahmoud Harbi and the old port, you can easily cover everything on foot in the cooler morning or late afternoon hours. For hops out to Héron, Ambouli or Nagad Station, hail one of the ubiquitous green city taxis and agree on the fare before boarding. To reach Khor Ambado beach (where the final stretch leaves the paved highway onto a rough rocky track) or to visit Lake Assal and the Goubet, hire a 4x4 with a local driver. Passenger ferries to Tadjoura and Obock depart from the Port de Pêche (Fishing Port), while Moucha Island and whale shark boats leave from L'Escale marina or Doraleh.