Popular Airport | Timișoara Traian Vuia Intl. Airport |
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Popular Airlines | |
Approximate Flight Duration | 5 hour 30 min |
Approximate Travel Distance | 4413 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.
It’s incredibly easy to get to Timişoara city center from Traian Vuia Airport because there are so many different transportation options to cover the 12km of distance between them. The public transport system is quite advance in terms of buses and there are also many options for those wanting private transport options. If you prefer not to take taxi, use transfer services, or rent a car, then the express buses are a great way to get from the airport to the city center.
Taking one of the express buses is no doubt the easiest way of getting to the city center from the airport. There are many different bus services available in the city, but only the express buses that are with the R.A.T.T. bus company travel directly between the city and the airport. To get directly to the center of Timişoara take the E4. If you want to go to the central train station (Gare De Nord) in Timişoara then take the E4B. You can get a ticket from the airport, or from the ticket vending machines next to the bus stops. As of 2016, a single ticket for the express buses costs 2.50 Romanian Lei.
If you arrived at Traian Vuia Airport at a time where there is no public transportation, taking a taxi may be the best way of reaching the city center. The taxi should take you to Timişoara in 10-15 minutes for a reasonable price. All you need to do is get in one of the taxis waiting outside the terminal and ask them to take you to the center of Timişoara. The price for the fare should be a maximum of 30 lei, if they ask more than that, or they are not using a taximeter, then request that they give a you a price similar to that. The YATTAXI taxis are particularly reliable and affordable so you should jump in one of these if you see any. Abonament Taxi and Acces Taxi are also recommended.
There are many car rental agencies in Traian Vuia Airport. If you make a reservation beforehand, after having done your research of course, you can get your car and be heading to Timişoara in no time. Some of the car rental agencies that have branches in Traian Vuia Airport include: Avis, Bavaria, Budget, Hertz, Europcar, Sixt, Thrifty, City Car, Api Rent, Autonom, Enterprise and Easy Terra Car Rental. Once you have your car, all you need to do is follow the E70 motorway and you’ll be in Timişoara in 10-12 minutes.