Travelling by bus in South America can be a great way to get around cheaply and easily. Long distance buses in South America are usually (not always!) fairly comfortable with reclining seats and air con, and some even include drinks, snacks and films to watch. Others of course are more basic, but all are incredibly good value compared with European bus travel. However, there are some things you need to know before embarking on your journey, to help you navigate the sometimes very confusing systems, and to help you survive journeys that can be over 24 hours long when travelling around South America by bus. Here is your indispensable guide to bus travel in South America!
Bus Travel in South America: Choose your Company
Sometimes only one company covers a certain route, so your decision is easy. For more popular routes there will be several companies with buses offering seats at various prices. Do a bit of research if you can on reputation as well as price – and bear in mind that usually you get what you pay for – cheapest doesn’t usually mean best!
If you are not on the strictest budget, it can be worth paying a little more money to get a little more comfort, safety and security for you and your bags.
Choosing the Time to Travel
Night buses in South America are great for budget travellers as they become your accommodation for the night, as well as your transport so you don’t have to spend money on a hostel bed. The downside to this, of course, is limited sleep depending on the route – have you ever tried to sleep when bus lurches round corners on a windy road, or crashes into potholes on a dirt track?
It also limits the scenery you can see on route, as you could miss some spectacular sites as you pass by in the dark. If you have limited time though, it means you can travel overnight and not ‘waste’ a day being on a bus.
There is also safety to consider – on particularly treacherous routes through mountain roads or where there is a (small) risk of hijacking, then daytime travel is best. Weigh up all these options and choose the best for you for travelling around South America by bus.
Buses in South America: Buying Your Ticket
If you are lucky, buying tickets online can be simple, and a great time saver to cut down on waiting time at the terminal. Most companies only offer purchase from their desk at the terminal, but the bigger companies, such as Cruz del Sur in Peru do have online tickets available on their app or website.
Other companies may have websites but do not process payments from foreign credit cards, or require a national’s ID number to purchase tickets – I found that was the case in Brazil. Third party websites for example www.busbud.com do have tickets for sale, but bear in mind they are more expensive than buying direct at the terminal, sometimes costing up to 50% more.
Your best bet is to go directly to the terminal if you can. Ask around for companies travelling to your destination, or check the information notices at the desks, which usually display their destinations.
Prices and departure times do vary, so it is useful to check at least a couple of companies before you decide which one to buy. Be prepared to wait if necessary.
If you are in for a long wait you could leave your baggage for a while at the bag storage and head out to explore. Remember to ask exactly where the bus leaves from so you can come back to the right place – and be sure to be there around 30 minutes before the departure time to load up.
Choosing a Seat
Personally, I love window seats. A nice view, possible access to windows & fresh air, and less chance of sneaky hands stealing your stuff. When buying your ticket, ask the attendant if they have your preferred seat available.
On some routes, there are double-decker buses available, usually with the more expensive luxury seats downstairs, but no view of the road in front as the driver section is blocked off. If, like me, you prefer to see where you’re going then upstairs at the front is best.
This can also be rather nerve-wracking as you can see everything the driver does – every time he overtakes on blind corners, every speed limit sign flaunted; and if there is an accident you are first in line for impact.
Unfortunately, bus accidents are fairly common throughout South America, due to drunk drivers, dangerous roads and general recklessness, especially at night. That said, I didn’t have any problems on my travels during 10 months on the continent, but you never know.
Bus Travel in South America: Get Prepared
Air conditioning is a blessing and a curse. Overnight buses in South America tend to be FREEZING due to overzealous air con and temperatures set way too low. Bring a neck pillow if you have it, ear plugs, eye mask, headphones and music, and (if you like) something to read or watch.
Lots of layers, including a scarf and blanket or sleeping bag, are also important to protect you from the cold! Long distance buses may offer snacks or water, but take your own to be sure. Some buses may also stop off on long journeys to allow passengers to eat – this was the case in Brazil, Paraguay and Colombia, but generally buses in Peru and Bolivia do not stop at all for a break, so be prepared.
I suffer from motion sickness so taking tablets and bringing sick bags just in case as part of my preparation!
South America Bus Travel: Bathroom Breaks
Some longer distance buses will have buses on board, but should only be used for peeing as they are easily blocked. Take your own tissues or toilet paper with you, and some hand sanitizer, as they are not always the cleanest.
Try to time your bathroom break with a straight section of road so you’re not flying around corners while trying to pee! Smaller buses will not have toilets on board, so when your bus stops at bus stations along the route, ask the driver how long they will be stopping for, and if you have time to use the toilet.
Travelling with someone is useful here to make sure the bus doesn’t leave without you, but usually the driver will wait if he knows you’re not on board – just be as quick as you can.
In rural areas, if you have to go and there is no sign of anywhere to stop, the driver may just pull over to the side of the road so you can relieve yourself. This is easier for men of course, but sometimes ladies when you gotta go, you gotta go!
If you have a dodgy stomach, taking some Immodium before you travel is a good idea to avoid emergency stops along the way!
Travelling by Bus in South America: Looking After Your Baggage
Unfortunately, baggage theft isn’t uncommon on buses. I heard stories of bags going missing from the hold, bags being rifled through, and clothes being stolen.
Don’t leave anything too valuable in your big bag that you are going to put in the hold. But it’s also a good idea to not keep everything in your small bag in case that goes missing! I had a spare credit card shoved in the middle of my big rucksack, and some spare cash hidden in there too – NOT in easily accessible pockets or at the top.
Ask for a ticket for the bag so you can claim it back at the end of the journey – sometimes they are given automatically, sometimes not. In Northern Argentina (I’m not sure about the rest of the country) it is common practice to tip the baggage handlers, perhaps a note of 2 or 5 pesos. If you don’t have the cash ready they will wait for you to find some!
Bus Travel in South America: On Board
If you have anything valuable in your hand luggage bag DO NOT put it up on the baggage racks. Theft on buses is frustratingly common, especially in Ecuador, where bus travel is very cheap, and no ID is needed to buy a ticket.
Keep your bag on your lap at all times, not even on the floor between your legs, as thieves are surprisingly good at opening bags and removing cameras, wallets, ipads etc without you feeling a thing. If you are on a night bus, the same applies.
I suggest covering yourself & your bag with a blanket or coat, and tying or locking the zips with a padlock to stop bags being opened without you noticing. You could even clip your bag to yourself for an added step. If you go to the toilet on board, ask someone to keep an eye on your bag, and take valuables with you.
Bus Travel in South America: Getting Off
Usually, the buses will pull into the terminal at your destination. If you are getting off at a town on the way then check with the driver where to get off, and bear in mind that they may not go into the terminal, perhaps just stopping off on the main road to drop off passengers.
Don’t forget your bag from the hold! It is a good idea to know where you are going when you arrive, especially if it is late at night. Often there are taxis waiting for buses to arrive if you are worried or need a ride to your hostel.
South America By Bus: Crossing Borders
When it comes to crossing borders in South America, check if the bus you are on will cross the border, and wait while you get your passport stamped at both border gates. Sometimes, locals don’t bother to get stamped each time they cross, especially if they are just going to do some shopping in the next town.
However, you will get into big trouble if you forget to stamp your passport at the border. Often, buses will stop just before the border, so you can walk across, get both stamps, and hop onto another bus or collectivo at the other side. Occasionally you might have to take a taxi to the nearest town to get an onward bus.
Travelling by Bus in South America: Guided Buses
On some key tourist routes, there are guided bus services which are more expensive than the public buses, but can ease your mind if you are nervous about bus travel in South America.
Peru Hop runs buses from Lima to Cusco (and vice versa), and its sister site Bolivia Hop runs adjoining buses that continue to La Paz in Bolivia. I used Peru Hop when I first arrived in South America and loved it, but when I became more confident I was happy to jump on the public buses.
I hope you find this guide useful. I heard many horror stories while travelling, but I managed 10 months and 8 countries without any problems, so use this guide to help you through! Were you travelling by bus in South America? Did you travel safely or did you have any issues? I’d love to hear your stories!
If you’re looking for travel insurance for your trip to South America, get a quote now from World Nomads.
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Peru Hop: The Best Way from Cusco to Lima
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Crossing Borders in South America
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Great info, I’ll use this all when I travel there , thanks for sharing.
Thanks for reading Lucas! Stay safe 🙂
These are some really good and important tips!! Thanks for sharing.
Oh yes I am all about the window seat!! 😀
Ahh I wish I had seen this in 2017!! I visited Argentina and Paraguay and it was awesome, but you shared some pretty helpful tips…but, I always was able to get a window seat, so we have that in common!! 🙂
That’s great to hear – you’ll have an amazing time I’m sure! It’s good to do research before you go, I’m so glad my posts are helpful 😀 enjoy your trip!!
This is great information!! Thank you so much! I’m planning on an around the world trip with about a third to half of the time exploring South and Middle America. I’m extremely nervous as I have never set foot in that continent and heard a lot of crazy rumors about it. I’m a 5’1 petit Asian girl planning to travel around South America, so it really frightens (but also excites) me. I’m trying to do as much research as possible regarding means of transport and just safety in travel generally, so your posts really helps! Thanks!!
Hi Pippa! It depends on the buses and the route. In most places the more expensive buses have toilets on, or usually if it is a big bus (and not a mini-bus) then they will also have toilets on. Smaller mini-buses for example in Colombia don’t have toilets, but do stop if you ask them. In Bolivia I think it is less common to stop regularly – but as they say, when you gotta go, you gotta go! You might have to ask the driver to stop if you’re desperate, or take your chance when they pull into city bus stations to pick up passengers along the way – ask the driver if there is time for the toilet & he will tell you yes or no. Always carry tissues with you in case you have to go at the side of the road (I didn’t have to, but just in case!), and some spare change as most places in bus stations and shops etc will probably charge you a small amount to use the toilet.
Hi Marianne! I’m so glad you found it useful 🙂 Usually there are two drivers for long journeys so they change over to allow one to sleep. Generally I prefer travelling during the day but did take some night buses too. For the Cusco to Lima route if you are going to do it in one go then use Cruz del Sur as they have the best security record and comfy seats. However, there is a lot of places worth seeing along the way – Huacachina, Paracas, Nazca, Arequipa, so breaking up the journey is better if you have the time. I used Peru Hop for that, which was great as the guides arranged activities at each stop and hostels too. I did have a spare phone which can be useful, although ironically it was my spare that got stolen! 🙂 Enjoy your travels, I’m sure you’ll have an amazing time!
Hi! This is so helpful for me and my bestie, I will be moving to Costa Rica next year (lived there two years ago) and there I will be waiting for my best friend to come. We are planning on starting in Costa Rica and experience as much as we can. As flying can be quite expensive, we want to try traveling by bus as much as we can. Although I love myself an adventure and getting to know new things, I can be pretty skeptical and paranoid at times, haha. What if we were to go to Cusco from Lima, which takes 24h as I have understood, will there be two bus drivers there, or do one stop to sleep? I am crazy afraid that the bus driver will fall asleep or something like that! Haha. And did you bring an extra phone, in case of theft? Thanks for your response!
Glad it is useful for you! Good luck for your travels in South America!
This is more. Helpful than you can ever imagine. Local travel is always a hassle in a foreign country especially if you don’t speak the language. Bookmarking this page for future reference for sure!
Its crazy, I don’t know why they do it! On one bus I was wrapped in a blanket, had a scarf around my head and was still shivering!
Ah the infamous chicken buses! I’m not sure about Central America, I’m heading there too next year so we’ll have to wait and see! I can’t imagine it being too different – you’ll just have to try & break the journeys whenever you can to save your back!
Great! I didn’t travel much in Argentina but I guess the same principles apply there too 🙂
I feel like no matter where you are in the world, bus travel is just crazy daunting. And it seems that the overzealous temperature settings is also a global epidemic. I always always wear long pants, bring a sweater, a sarong, and socks on any overnight bus. Legit, this is a MUST read and I will bookmark this for the South American backpacking trip I’m planning to do in my 30s.
Yes, this is such an awesome post! I haven’t been to South America yet, but I do always like knowing my transportation options, and if I can avoid flying I do. I’d be curious if you get a chance to experience Southeast Asia buses or trains, how you’d compare them.
When I think about it none of my friends who studied in South America (I was a Spanish major, so all of them except the one or two of us who went to Spain :p) took the buses around or at least talked about it if they did haha. Good to know they’re not nearly as bad as one might think!
What an informative post! I especially like the part about night buses – I do love taking them as a budget backpacker because you can save money on accommodation but it definitely stuffs you up. A lot of times, I have arrived in the city so tired that I need to go and sleep in the hostel anyways. Thanks for sharing 🙂
My husband hated it when I subjected him to overnight bus trips in Vietnam but I love it. I don’t much like the idea of having to watch my bag every minute but great tips
This is such a detailed and informative post! I really like that you told people to bring a jumper for overnight buses – they turn the air con up way too high in a lot of places in Asia as well and everyone is there shiverring all night because their warm clothes are either non existent or under the bus… this happened to me only a few months ago in Vietnam!
Thanks for the informative post! I don’t do well on long car rides (bad back) so I’m always amazed with people that can survive journeys that are over 3hrs- let alone 24! I’m assuming the buses in Central America are similar to South America? We’re heading there in December and have heard some horror stories too… especially the chicken buses :S
Awesome and thorough post! I’ll be heading to Argentina in a few weeks, so this will be very useful!
Ah yes, unfortunately I heard many stories of it happening to unsuspecting travellers!
All great information. Very informative guide to taking the bus in South America. I wouldn’t have even guessed that other passengers would try to steal while on the bus. Good to know.
Thanks Jaynie, glad it’s useful! 🙂
Great information, I haven’t made it to South America yet so this answered some questions for me about the ease of getting around.
Hi Pippa! It depends on the buses and the route. In most places the more expensive buses have toilets on, or usually if it is a big bus (and not a mini-bus) then they will also have toilets on. Smaller mini-buses for example in Colombia don’t have toilets, but do stop if you ask them. In Bolivia I think it is less common to stop regularly – but as they say, when you gotta go, you gotta go! You might have to ask the driver to stop if you’re desperate, or take your chance when they pull into city bus stations to pick up passengers along the way – ask the driver if there is time for the toilet & he will tell you yes or no. Always carry tissues with you in case you have to go at the side of the road (I didn’t have to, but just in case!), and some spare change as most places in bus stations and shops etc will probably charge you a small amount to use the toilet.
That was helpful thanks. Can you tell me about the toilet situation? Do buses have them onboard or how often do they stop to allow you to go? Thanks 🙂