TRANSPORTATION

The following tables contain the prices on some routes of public transportation in South America. If not otherwise given, the transportation are by bus and the prices are of one way ticket for one person. In few cases a small additional fee is to be paid for the baggage manipulation or as an entrance fee to the bus terminal. The prices given in the Lonely Planet book South America on a shoestring (5th edition, 1994) are given for comparison to see the overall trend. The real duration of the journey we experienced is also given.

Brazil , Argentina , Bolivia , Peru , Ecuador , Colombia

Brazil - March 1996
Route Company Price (Real) US Dollar equivalent LP 1994 price (US$) Duration (hours)
Galeao airport - Rio de Janeiro centre air con bus 4.50 4.60 3 1
Rio de Janeiro city buses 0.50
Rio de Janeiro - Foz do Iguacu Pulma 50.50 51.50 25 21
Foz do Iguacu - Iguacu Falls local bus 1 1 . 45 min
Foz do Iguacu - Puerto Iguazu (Arg.) local bus 1.50 1.50 . 30 min


Argentina - March 1996
Route Company Price (Peso) US Dollar equivalent LP 1994 price (US$) Duration (hours)
Puerto Iguazu - Iguazu Falls local bus 2 2 . 20 min
Puerto Iguazu - Foz do Iguacu local bus 1.50 1.50 . 30 min
Puerto Iguazu - San Ignacio Martignoni 15 15 17 5
San Ignacio - Posadas colectivo 4 4 . 1
Posadas - Resistencia* Encon 15 15 . 5
Resistencia city buses 0.60
Resistencia - Salta Central Saenz Pena 39.50 39.50 42 13.5
Salta city buses 0.70
Salta - La Quiaca La Internacional 23.50 23.50 . 7
Remark: *new bus terminal


Bolivia - April 1996
Route Company Price (Boliviano) US Dollar equivalent LP 1994 price (US$) Duration (hours)
Villazon - Tupiza Ch.... (?) 12 2.40 2 4
Tupiza - Potosi Cicheno 20 4 6.50 7
Potosi - La Paz Cochabamba 25 5 8 11
La Paz city transport 1 to 1.70
La Paz - Tiahuanaco Ingavi 5 1 1 2.5
La Paz - La Cumbre Turbus Totai 5 1 . 40 min
La Paz - Rurrenabaque Trans Topai 40 8 11 22
Rurrenabaque - La Paz Yungena 57 11.50 13 ???
Rurrenabaque - La Paz TAM (airplane) 210 42 . 1.5
Coroico - La Paz Turbus Totai 12 2.40 3.50 3.5
La Paz - Copacabana 2 de febrero 12 2.40 3 3.5
Tiquina ferry 1 0.20 . 10 min
Yampupata - Isla del Sol boat 8.30 1.70 . 30 min
Isla del Sol - Copacabana El Rey (boat) 10 2 . 1.5
Copacabana - Kasani (border) colectivo 2.50 0.50 0.40 1?


Peru - May 1996
Route Company Price (Sol Nuevo) US Dollar equivalent LP 1994 price (US$) Duration (hours)
Yunguyo - Puno ? 3.50 1.50 2 2.5
Puno - Isla Taquile boat, round trip 20 8.50 7 4 (one way)
Puno - Cusco train 1st class 25 10.60 12 ?
Puno - Cusco Cruz del Sur 15 6.30 7 12
Cusco - Km 88* train 1st class 15 6.30 3.50 3
Aguas Calientes - Cusco train 1st class 10 4.20 3.50 6
Cusco - Pisac Urubamba 1.20 0.50 . 1
Pisac - Urubamba Urubamba 1 0.40 . 1
Urubamba - Ollantaytambo local micro 0.70 0.30 . 0.5
Urubamba - Chinchero Urubamba 1.50 0.60 . 0.5
Chinchero - Cusco Urubamba 1.50 0.60 . 1
Cusco - Arequipa** Cruz del Sur 20 8.50 13 13
Arequipa city transport 0.40
Arequipa - Nazca Turismo-EXpreso-PLUma 16 6.80 9 9.5
Nazca - Ica Ormeno 6 2.50 2.50 2.5
Ica - Pisco Willy Lily 2 0.80 1 1.5
Pisco - Lima San Martin 6 2.50 4 4
Lima city transport 0.60 to 0.80
Lima - Huaraz Ormeno 14 5.90 6 9
Huaraz - Caraz local micro 2.50 1.10 . 2
Caraz - Coshapampa local bus 4 1.70 . 2
Llanganuco - Yungay local bus 5 2.10 . 1
Yungay - Huaraz local micro 2 0.80 . 1.5
Huaraz - Trujillo Cruz del Sur 15 6.30 . 10
Trujillo - Chan Chan - Huanchaco local bus 0.50 0.20 . .
Trujillo - Huaca de la Luna colectivo 0.70 0.30 . .
Trujillo - Tumbes Continental 17 7.20 . 9.5
Tumbes - Aguas Verdes*** local micro 1 0.40 . .
Remarks: *the same price for all destinations from Cusco; **new bus terminal; ***exit formalities 3 km before the border


Ecuador - June 1996
Route Company Price (Sucre) US Dollar equivalent LP 1994 price (US$) Duration (hours)
Huaquillas - Loja* Transportes Loja 13000 4.20 . 6.5
Loja - Cajanuma, park entrance ? 1000 0.30 . 0.5
Loja - Cuenca San Luis 15000 4.90 2.30 4
Cuenca - Cajas, information center ? 3000 1 . 1
Cuenca - Riobamba Turismo Oriente 12500 4.10 2.50 6.5
Riomabma - Banos Riobamba 2200 0.70 0.50 1
Banos - Quito Banos 7000 2.30 1.40 3
Quito city buses 250 to 500
Quito city trolebuses 700
Quito - Parque Cotopaxi, entrance Latacunga 2500 0.80 . 1.5
Quito - Mitad del Mundo Mitad del Mundo 1000 0.30 0.15 1
Quito - Otavalo Transportes Andina 5000 1.60 0.65 2
Quito - Galapagos (Baltra) TAME (airplane) . 290** 374 3
Baltra - Canal Itabaca TAME . 2 . 10 min
Canal Itabaca ferry 2000 0.70
Canal Itabaca - Puerto Ayora CITTEG 7000 2.30 . 1
Santa Rosa - Puerto Ayora small bus 2000 0.70 . 0.5
Bellavista - Puerto Ayora CITTEG, car 1000 0.30 . 10 min
Quito - Tulcan Imbabura 12000 3.90 2.00 5
Tulcan - Rumichaca (border) micro 1300 0.40 0.25 10 min
-- " -- colectivo 1500 0.50 0.80 "
Remarks: *new bus terminal; **round trip, low season price (valid until June 14)


Colombia - June 1996
Route Company Price (Peso) US Dollar equivalent LP 1994 price (US$) Duration (hours)
Rumichaca (border) - Ipiales colectivo 400 0.40 0.30 10 min
Ipiales - Las Lajas colectivo 500 0.50 0.40 15 min
Ipiales - Pasto* mini bus 2500 2.50 2.50 1.5
Pasto - Popayan Continental 10600 10.40 10 5.5
Popayan - Cali Trans-Ipiales 4000 3.90 4 3
Cali - Bogota Velotax 21000 20.60 18 9.5
Bogota city buses 260 to 390
Bogota, El Dorado airport departure tax** 21400 20 17
Remarks: *new bus terminal; **payable in pesos or dollars


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