Most Bolivians travel by bus, as these go pretty much everywhere and are extremely good value. When there are no buses, they often travel on camiones (lorries), which are slower, much less comfortable and only slightly cheaper, but often go to places no other transport reaches. The much-reduced train network covers only a small fraction of the country, but offers a generally more comfortable and sedate (though not necessarily faster or more reliable) service. In parts of the Amazon lowlands river boats are still the main means of getting around.
Though few Bolivians can afford it, air travel is a great way of saving a day or two of arduous cross-country travel, and most of the major cities are served by regular internal flights. The approximate journey times and frequencies of all services are given in each chapter, but these should be treated with caution to say the least: the idea of a fixed timetable would strike most Bolivians as rather ridiculous. Buying or hiring a car is a possibility, but given the state of the roads in many areas and the long distances between towns, it’s an adventurous way to travel and doesn’t guarantee you’ll reach your destination any faster.
By bus
Bolivia’s buses (also known as flotas) are run by a variety of private companies and ply all the main routes in the country, moving passengers at low cost over great distances despite often appalling road conditions. Cities and larger towns have bus terminals – known as terminales terrestres or terminales de buses – from which buses to most (but often not all) destinations leave. Departing passengers usually have to pay a small fee (Bs1–3) for the use of the terminal.
The terminals often have some kind of information office, but even so the number of different companies operating the same route can make it difficult at times to work out departure times and frequencies. If in doubt, taxi drivers usually have a good grasp of the timing of buses to different destinations and where they depart from. For less frequently used routes it’s worth buying a ticket in advance, but there’s no need on busier routes. Buses on many longer-distance routes travel only at night so Bolivian travellers can visit other cities without paying for accommodation.
The major long-distance intercity routes are served by more modern and comfortable buses, often equipped with reclining seats and TVs. Some routes are also served by comparatively luxurious overnight sleeper-buses (bus-camas), which have extra leg-room and seats that recline horizontally. These cost about fifty percent more, but are well worth it. Most buses, however, are much older and in poor condition. Breakdowns are frequent, but fortunately many drivers are masters of mechanical improvisation. Other than sleeper-buses and some smarter long-distance services, Bolivian buses stop anywhere for anyone, even if they’re only travelling a few kilometres, until every available crack of space has been filled.
Because of the poor condition of most roads and many vehicles, you should always be prepared for major delays; in the rainy season, buses can arrive days rather than hours late. Most buses stop for regular meal breaks, and food and drink sellers offer their wares at the roadside at every opportunity, but it’s worth carrying some food and drink with you. When travelling in the highlands or overnight, you should have warm clothing and a blanket or sleeping bag to hand, as it can get bitterly cold, and heated buses are virtually unheard of. If you can, avoid sitting at the back of the bus, as on bumpy roads this is where you’ll get bounced around the most.
By plane
Flying in Bolivia is a good way of avoiding exhausting overland journeys and saving time; it’s also relatively inexpensive, with most internal flights costing Bs350–700 ($50–100), and offers splendid bird’s-eye views of the high Andes or the endless green expanse of the Amazon. La Paz, Santa Cruz, Sucre and Cochabamba are all connected by daily flights, and there are also frequent services to Tarija, Trinidad and a number of remote towns in the Amazon and the Eastern Lowlands.
The main carrier is currently the state-owned Boliviana de Aviacion (wboa.bo). A smaller operator, Amaszonas (wamaszonas.com), operates flights from La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz to the main towns in the Bolivian Amazon.
The Bolivian air force also operates passenger services under its commercial arm, Transportes Aereo Militar (TAM; wtam.bo). TAM is often somewhat cheaper than the other airlines, and flies to some out-of-the-way places not served by the others, as well as between most of the main cities. The busier routes should be booked at least several days in advance, and it’s important to reconfirm a couple of days before departure, as overbooking is not uncommon. Flights are often cancelled or delayed, and sometimes even leave earlier than scheduled, especially in the Amazon, where the weather can be a problem. Baggage allowance on internal flights is usually 15kg, with an additional charge payable on any excess.
Some particularly remote regions, such as the Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado, are also served by light aircraft, such as five-seater Cessnas, which are an expensive but exciting way to travel.
By taxi, moto-taxi and micro
Taxis can be found anywhere at any time in almost any town and offer a cheap and safe way to get around. In Bolivia, anyone can turn their car into a taxi just by sticking a sign in the window, and many people in cities work as part-time taxi drivers to supplement their incomes. There are also radio-taxis, which are marked as such and can be called by phone; they tend to cost a little more and, in theory at least, are a safer way to travel.
Fares tend to be fixed in each city or town. A trip within any city centre will rarely cost more than Bs15, though there’s a tendency to overcharge foreigners, so it’s best to agree a price before you set off. Often, fares are charged per passenger rather than for the vehicle as a whole, and it’s not unusual to share a taxi with strangers heading in the same general direction. You can also hire taxis by the day; with a little bargaining this can actually be an inexpensive way of seeing a lot in a short time.
Moto-taxis are motorcycles used as taxis, and are most frequently found in remote cities and towns in the lowlands. In cities like Trinidad, they’re by far the most common form of transport. Travelling this way is cheap, fast and only slightly frightening.
Micros are small minibuses that have almost completely replaced larger buses as the main form of urban public transport in Bolivia. A trip in a micro costs a couple of bolivianos or less, and they run with great frequency along fixed routes with their major destinations written on placards on the windscreen and shouted out by the driver’s assistant. With extra seats fitted in their already small interiors, they’re pretty cramped; if you need extra leg room, try to sit in the front seat next to the driver. Large estate cars – referred to as trufis or colectivos – are sometimes used in place of micros.
By lorry
The heavy-goods lorries (camiones) are the other mainstay of Bolivian land transport, and sometimes the only option in remote or little-visited regions. Most carry passengers to supplement their income from carrying goods. Lorries are, however, more uncomfortable, slower and generally more dangerous than buses, and stop more frequently. Still, travelling by lorry is a quintessential Bolivian experience.; passengers usually sit in the cab alongside the driver, or on the back.
The best place to find a lorry is around any town’s market areas or at the police checkpoints (trancas) at the edge of town; most also stop for passengers who flag them down at the side of the road. This is the closest you’ll get to hitching in Bolivia, and you will always be expected to pay something for the ride; private cars are few and far between outside towns and rarely pick up hitchers, and in any case hitching a lift in them is risky. For shorter journeys in remote areas, smaller pick-up trucks, known as camionetas, also carry passengers.
