Ethiopia Toll Roads Guide: Expressway Tolls and Rates 2026

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Ethiopia Toll Roads Guide

System: Closed-system, fixed-segment tolling between named toll plazas (NOT a simple continuous per-km rate) - ticket at entry, pay at exit
Operator: Ethiopian Toll Roads Enterprise (ETRE)
Currency: Ethiopian Birr (ETB)
Coverage: Three toll roads - Addis Ababa-Adama Expressway, Modjo-Batu Expressway, and Dire Dawa-Dewele toll road (about 400 km combined), with 11 confirmed named toll stations on the first two corridors alone
Technology: Manual and semi-automatic toll collection (MTC), prepaid toll cards, RFID electronic toll collection linked to telebirr, no vignette

Do I Need Ethiopia Tolls? 2026 Update

Ethiopia does not have a nationwide toll network or vignette. Tolls apply only on the country's access-controlled expressways and designated toll roads, all managed by the state-owned Ethiopian Toll Roads Enterprise (ETRE). As of 2026, three routes are tolled: the Addis Ababa-Adama Expressway (Ethiopia's first expressway, opened 2014), the Modjo-Batu Expressway (the first phases of the Modjo-Hawassa corridor), and the Dire Dawa-Dewele toll road running toward the Djibouti border.

Key Reality: Ethiopian toll roads use a closed system. You collect a ticket at the entrance plaza and pay at the exit based on distance driven and vehicle class. Every toll road has a parallel toll-free federal road, so tolls are always avoidable if you accept a slower journey.

2026 Update: In April 2026, Ethio telecom and ETRE launched an RFID-powered "non-stop" toll payment system on the Addis Ababa-Adama Expressway. Vehicles fitted with an RFID tag linked to a telebirr account pass through dedicated lanes without stopping, and tolls, service fees, and penalties can all be paid inside the telebirr SuperApp. This follows ETRE's broader tariff revision that took effect around November 2024 (Hedar 2017 EC), which set the current fixed-segment fare table still in use.

Ethiopia Toll Costs: Current Rates (Official ETRE Tariff Schedule)

ETRE groups vehicles into 7 classes (V1 through V7 / ትዢ1 through ትዢ7) based on load capacity and seating, defined precisely by quintal-loading capacity and axle/tire count. For tolling purposes, these 7 classes are combined into 4 fare tiers:

Fare Tier Underlying Vehicle Classes Description
Tier 1 (Class 1&2) V1, V2 Personal cars, small SUVs, and small 4WD minibuses under 10 quintal / up to 17-seat capacity
Tier 2 (Class 3) V3 Medium buses and small cargo trucks, 10-85 quintal capacity, 6-tire (e.g. Suzuki-class and similar)
Tier 3 (Class 4) V4 Medium-heavy cargo trucks, 86-180 quintal capacity, 10-tire (e.g. Isuzu, Sinotruk-class)
Tier 4 (Class 5-7) V5, V6, V7 Heavy trucks with trailers, 181-300+ quintal capacity, up to 6+ axles for the heaviest combinations

Addis Ababa-Adama Expressway - Confirmed Toll Stations and Segment Fares (ETB)

Confirmed toll stations, in order from Addis Ababa: Tulu Dimtu (km 2), Bishoftu North (km 16), Bishoftu South (km 33), Modjo (km 52), Adama West (km 60), Adama Main (km 64).

Segment Tier 1 (Cars) Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 4 (Heaviest)
Tulu Dimtu - Bishoftu North 40 50 60 60
Tulu Dimtu - Bishoftu South 70 70 90 110
Tulu Dimtu - Modjo (km 52) 100 120 140 170
Tulu Dimtu - Adama West 120 140 160 200
Tulu Dimtu - Adama Main (full expressway) 150 170 200 260

Note: check ETRE or the official brochure for the complete table.

Modjo-Batu Expressway - Confirmed Toll Stations and Sample Segment Fares (ETB)

Confirmed toll stations, in order: Modjo East (km 2), Koka (km 26), Bote/Alem Tena (km 43), Meki (km 66), Batu (km 90).

Segment Tier 1 (Cars) Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 4 (Heaviest)
Modjo East - Koka 40 40 50 60
Modjo East - Bote 80 90 110 140
Modjo East - Meki 140 160 180 230
Modjo East - Batu (full expressway) 210 240 280 350
Tulu Dimtu - Batu (full combined corridor) 310 350 410 520

Dire Dawa-Dewele Toll Road - Different Tariff Structure Entirely

Confirmed via a separate official ETRE tariff table specific to this corridor - the structure here does NOT follow the simple fixed-segment model used on Addis Ababa-Adama and Modjo-Batu. Instead, it uses percentage-adjusted components across three named zones: Lasdere (50% at the entrance), Biyodile (25% at the second station), and Dewolle (25% at the exit station):

Fare Tier Lasdere (50%) Biyodile (25%) Dewolle (-25%) Total
Tier 1 (Cars) 150 100 100 350
Tier 2 250 100 100 450
Tier 3 310 150 150 610
Tier 4 (Heaviest) 360 200 200 760
Three-wheeled vehicles (bajaj) Flat fee 20

Important correction: Three-wheeled vehicles (bajaj/tuk-tuks) have an explicit, confirmed toll fee of 20 ETB on the Dire Dawa-Dewele toll road specifically - this directly contradicts a blanket claim in earlier versions of this guide that bajajs are prohibited on all Ethiopian expressways. The prohibition on motorcycles and three-wheelers appears to apply specifically to the Addis Ababa-Adama and Modjo-Batu expressways, not necessarily Dire Dawa-Dewele - confirm current vehicle restrictions for this specific road with ETRE directly.

To calculate toll costs for cars, trucks, and all vehicle types across Ethiopia's toll roads, use the TollGuru Ethiopia toll calculator:

How to Pay Ethiopia Tolls

Tolls are settled at the exit plaza when you leave the toll road. Cash remains the most common method, but electronic options are expanding quickly.

  • Cash at the exit plaza: Pay in Ethiopian Birr based on the entry ticket, your specific entry/exit segment, and your vehicle's fare tier (1-4)
  • RFID non-stop tolling: Register an RFID tag at an ETRE sales outlet, link it to a telebirr account, and pass through dedicated lanes without stopping (Addis Ababa-Adama Expressway, live since April 2026)
  • telebirr SuperApp: Top up your toll (TOLO) account and pay tolls, service fees, and penalties from Ethio telecom's mobile money platform
  • Prepaid toll cards: ETRE prepaid cards give a 5% discount on a one-month card and 10% on a three-month card off the regular fee
  • Rental and commercial fleets: Frequent-user and fleet arrangements are available directly through ETRE

Enforcement and Penalties

Because Ethiopian toll roads are access-controlled with a closed ticket system, it is not possible to use them without passing a toll plaza. Lost entry tickets are typically charged at the maximum distance for your vehicle class. Entrance gates use overload detection and weigh-in-motion technology, and overweight trucks face penalties. Since April 2026, penalties and service fees can be checked and paid digitally through the telebirr platform.

Recent Changes (2026)

  • April 2026: Ethio telecom and ETRE launched RFID-powered non-stop toll payment via telebirr on the Addis Ababa-Adama Expressway, along with a digital platform for service fees, penalties, and instant TOLO account top-ups
  • Around November 2024 (Hedar 1, 2017 EC): ETRE's current fixed-segment tariff schedule took effect, confirmed directly against the official tariff brochure - this is the schedule the rates above are drawn from
  • November 2024: RFID electronic toll collection (ETC) first went live on the Addis Ababa-Adama Expressway, beginning the shift away from cash-only plazas
  • Adama-Awash Expressway (130 km) under construction, extending the tolled corridor east from Adama toward Awash
  • Remaining phases of the Modjo-Hawassa Expressway (Batu to Hawassa) under construction, with additional toll stations planned as sections open
  • ETRE's network now covers roughly 400 km across three toll roads, serving more than 32,000 vehicles per day

Planning Your Journey

Cost Considerations:

  • A full-length car trip on the Addis Ababa-Adama Expressway (Tulu Dimtu to Adama Main) costs 150 ETB and cuts the journey to roughly 45 minutes, versus 2 hours or more on the old road
  • Tolls are fixed by the specific segment driven - a short hop between adjacent stations (e.g., Tulu Dimtu to Bishoftu North) costs only 40 ETB for a car
  • The full combined Tulu Dimtu-Batu corridor (Addis Ababa through to the end of the Modjo-Batu Expressway) costs 310 ETB for a car - always check the specific station pair rather than assuming a flat per-km cost
  • Heavy trucks (Tier 4) pay considerably more per segment than cars - on the full Addis-Adama trip, 260 ETB versus 150 ETB for cars

Toll-Free Alternatives:

  • The old A1 road through Bishoftu (Debre Zeit) parallels the Addis Ababa-Adama Expressway toll-free, but is slower and heavily trafficked
  • The old Modjo-Ziway-Hawassa road remains toll-free alongside the Modjo-Batu Expressway
  • The pre-existing Dire Dawa-Dewele route can be used instead of the toll road
  • All other federal and regional roads in Ethiopia are toll-free

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I avoid Ethiopia's tolls completely?

Yes. Every tolled route has a parallel toll-free federal road - the old A1 via Bishoftu for Addis-Adama, the old lakeside road for Modjo-Batu, and the pre-existing route for Dire Dawa-Dewele. Expect significantly longer travel times and mixed traffic on the free alternatives.

How is the toll calculated - is it really per kilometer?

No - this is a common misconception. ETRE does not use a simple continuous per-kilometer rate. Instead, it publishes a fixed fare for every specific pair of named toll stations. Your entry ticket records where you entered, and the exit plaza charges the fixed fare for that exact origin-destination pair and your vehicle's fare tier. Always check the specific segment rate rather than trying to calculate it as distance times a per-km figure.

Do tourists or foreign-registered vehicles pay different rates?

No, rates are the same for all drivers and depend only on vehicle fare tier and the specific segment traveled. Cash in Ethiopian Birr is accepted at every exit plaza, so visitors do not need an account or tag.

What happens if I lose my entry ticket?

A lost ticket is normally charged at the maximum toll for your vehicle class, the full length of the road, so keep the ticket accessible until you exit.

Do I need an RFID tag or telebirr account to use the expressways?

No. RFID non-stop lanes are optional and currently available on the Addis Ababa-Adama Expressway. Cash lanes remain open at all toll plazas. Frequent drivers benefit most from the tag or from ETRE's discounted prepaid cards.

Are motorcycles and three-wheelers (bajaj) allowed on Ethiopian toll roads?

This varies by road. Motorcycles, three-wheelers, animal-drawn carts, and pedestrians are prohibited on the Addis Ababa-Adama and Modjo-Batu Expressways specifically. However, the Dire Dawa-Dewele toll road has a confirmed, explicit 20 ETB toll fee for three-wheeled vehicles in its official tariff table - meaning bajajs appear to be permitted (and tolled) on that specific road. Confirm current vehicle restrictions with ETRE before planning a trip involving a motorcycle or three-wheeler on any of these roads.

Ethiopia vs. Neighbouring Countries

Country System Type Typical Cost Coverage
Ethiopia Closed system, fixed-segment fare table (4 tiers) 40-520 ETB per segment, by tier 3 toll roads, ~400 km, 11+ confirmed stations
Kenya Electronic and manual Varies by exit Nairobi Expressway
Djibouti No tolls currently 0 ETB Toll-free network
Sudan Limited road fees Varies Checkpoint-based charges
Somalia No formal tolls 0 ETB No toll network
Eritrea No tolls currently 0 ETB Toll-free network

Official Resources

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