How to get around Bolivia
Navigating Bolivia is straightforward with a variety of public and private transport options. Here's what you need to know about getting between and within its cities and towns.
Inter-City Travel
For traveling between cities in Bolivia, buses are the most common and economical option. Basic bus fares for long journeys can be very cheap, with routes like La Paz to Oruro costing around 30 BOB.
Longer journeys, such as La Paz to Sucre, may cost around 126 BOB, and Sucre to Uyuni around 70 BOB. You can also find 'cama' (bed) or 'semi-cama' (semi-bed) buses, which offer more comfortable reclining seats for a higher price, typically 50% more than standard fares.
For example, a semi-bed seat from La Paz to Uyuni costs around $21 USD, while a bed seat is about $28 USD. These more comfortable options are useful for overnight trips, allowing you to save on accommodation. Buses often depart at night for longer routes. There's a small departure tax (Bs 1–3) at bus terminals.
Domestic flights are a faster, but more expensive, way to cover long distances, especially to remote or geographically challenging areas like the Amazon rainforest. Internal flights typically cost between 350-700 BOB ($50-$100 USD) for a one-way ticket. For example, flights from La Paz to Sucre can be around $80 USD. Prices for domestic flights can increase during holiday periods.
Train travel is limited to specific routes, mainly in the western and eastern parts of the country. Popular train routes include Villazon to Uyuni and Oruro to Uyuni, and Santa Cruz to Puerto Quijarro (near the Brazilian border) or Yacuiba (near the Argentine border).
Train tickets vary by class, with 'popular' class costing around 38 BOB and 'executive' class around 118 BOB for the Villazon to Uyuni route. A tourist train to Tiwanaku and Guaqui from El Alto can cost 20 BOB for 'popular' and 40 BOB for 'saloon' class.
Travel Within Cities
Within Bolivian cities, especially La Paz, micros (small minibuses) are a very cheap and popular way to travel. A ride on a micro typically costs about 1.5-3 BOB ($0.40 USD or less). These minibuses follow fixed routes, indicated by signs on their windshields.
Taxis are also widely available and generally inexpensive compared to many other cities globally. In La Paz, a standard taxi fare starts around 10 BOB (€1.30) and increases with distance. A 5km taxi ride can cost about 85 BOB. For example, a taxi from La Paz city center to Valle de la Luna can be around €20, and to the airport, up to 60 BOB or more.
In Cochabamba, taxi base fares start at 4.5 BOB (€0.60), with an additional 2.30 BOB (€0.30) per kilometer. While taxis may have meters, drivers often offer a fixed price, so it's advisable to negotiate the fare beforehand.
In La Paz, the Mi Teleférico cable car system is a modern public transport option with 11 lines spanning the city. Each cable car ride costs around 3-4 BOB (about $0.70 USD). Moto-taxis are common in lowland towns and cities like Trinidad, offering a fast and cheap mode of transport. Shared taxis, known as 'trufis' or 'colectivos', are also used in place of micros.
