Travel
Getting Around in Bolivia
Bolivia has no passenger trains. Between cities, you fly or take a bus. Within cities, colectivos (shared minivans), taxis, and La Paz's teleférico are your options.
Between Cities
Flights are short, cheap, and bookable online (BoA, Amaszonas, Eco Jet).Buses are frequent and very affordable, but rides are long — often overnight — and roads can be bumpy. You can't buy bus tickets online; go to the bus terminal (terminal de buses) and buy them there, usually the day before or right before departure.
Santa Cruz → Sucre
✈️ Flight: ~45 min · multiple daily (BoA, Amaszonas)
🚌 Bus: ~12–14h · overnight, bumpy road, several departures in the evening
Sucre → Uyuni
✈️ Flight: ~45 min · limited departures (Amaszonas, not daily)
🚌 Bus: ~8–10h · overnight, rough roads for the last stretch
Uyuni → La Paz
✈️ Flight: ~1h · limited departures (Amaszonas, not daily)
🚌 Bus: ~10–12h · overnight, high-altitude road
La Paz → Coroico
✈️ No flights
🚌 Minibus/bus: ~3–4h · frequent from Villa Fátima terminal, scenic descent into the Yungas
La Paz → Copacabana
✈️ No flights
🚌 Bus: ~3.5–4h · several daily, includes a short ferry crossing at Tiquina — which is an adventure in itself!
La Paz → Rurrenabaque
✈️ Flight: ~45 min · daily (Amaszonas) — strongly recommended
🚌 Bus: ~18–20h · grueling mountain descent, road is unpaved and can be dangerous in rain
Santa Cruz ↔ La Paz
✈️ Flight: ~1h · ~16 flights/day (BoA, Amaszonas, Eco Jet) — easy to book last-minute
🚌 Bus: ~16–18h · overnight, semi-cama or cama available
Within Cities
Cities don't have Uber or ride-hailing apps. Here's how locals get around.
Colectivos & Trufis
Shared minivans that run fixed routes through the city. Extremely cheap (~3–5 Bs / $0.40–0.70). They have signs on the windshield showing the route — flag one down from the street and tell the driver where you're going. They stop anywhere along the route, just say "voy a bajar" (I'm getting off) when you're close.
Taxis
Cheap and everywhere, but most don't use meters — always agree on the price before getting in. The safest option is to have your hotel or Bolivian friends call a radio taxi for you. Otherwise, wave one down from the street — don't get into a taxi that approaches you first. Short rides within the city center are usually 10–20 Bs ($1.50–3).
Teleférico (La Paz)
La Paz has the world's largest urban cable car network — 10 color-coded lines connecting the city from the valley floor up to El Alto. It's safe, scenic, and costs just 3 Bs (~$0.40) per ride. Point-to-point it's usually slower than a taxi, but it bypasses La Paz's notorious traffic — and the views are incredible.
Walking
City centers are very walkable. Just remember La Paz is hilly and at 3,640m — take it slow, especially in the first few days. Santa Cruz is flat and easier on the lungs.
