Asmara International Airport (ASM) is the main entry and exit point. Flights are concentrated at a few major international hubs, including Addis Ababa, Dubai, Cairo, Istanbul, and Jeddah. There are no direct flights from [China]; most international travellers connect via Dubai or Addis Ababa, with total travel times around 20 hours. Land border crossings (with Sudan, Ethiopia, and Djibouti) have unstable opening hours and are not recommended for planned entry or exit. When leaving the country, you must present a foreign currency declaration form, and any exchanged currency is subject to specific handling regulations.
| Route | Transport Method | Key Points |
|---|---|---|
| Asmara — Keren | Long-distance bus / private car hire | Approximately 2.5 hours; requires a Keren travel permit |
| Asmara — Massawa | Long-distance bus / travel agency car hire | About a 3-hour downhill route; permit required |
| Massawa — Dahlak | Dive shop boat charter / wooden boat | Departure depends on weather; permit and dive shop arrangement required |
| Asmara — Nakfa | Travel agency arranged vehicle | Permit required; route includes war memorials |
Central Asmara is compact, and many central sites are within walking distance. Taxis are old blue-and-white sedans without meters; fares must be agreed in advance. Travel time from the city center to the airport is about 10–15 minutes. Long-distance buses usually depart early in the morning, and during periods of limited ticket availability, booking through a travel agency is more reliable.
The Asmara–Massawa railway, built in the 1930s, climbs over a drop of more than 2,300 metres and is one of the world’s few remaining operational museum-grade narrow-gauge railways. The vintage Fiat trains and manually operated turntables are attractions in themselves. Service is highly irregular, typically arranged only for specially chartered group tours. Applications must be made several weeks in advance through a local travel agency, and availability depends on train scheduling.