Transports and communication

Telephone and internet

If you wish to use your cellphone in Bolivia, please ask your provider at home before departing. Locally, there is good, reliable signal in the cities, but it is still lacking in some parts of the countryside and along the highways. In the cities, call centers (“locutorio”) are very common. Some people even sell phone calls in the street, from their own cellphones. Bolivia’s country code is 591.

Internet is available almost everywhere. Most hotels we work with have a computer which guests can use, and almost always offer WiFi in the bedrooms, at no extra cost. Internet booths are also very common in most cities, at a ridiculously low cost.

Transport

By air : a good alternative if you don’t have much time for your tour. The main cities in the country (Sucre, Tarija, Cochabamba) are served by flights from La Paz and Santa Cruz. The city of Rurrenabaque in the Amazon and Uyuni in the Andean plateau are equally served by flights from La Paz. La Paz is also connected to Lima and Cusco. The cities of Potosi and Tupiza are not deserved by commercial flights. Please note that luggage is limited to 40 pounds in the hold on most Bolivian commercial airlines, plus an 10-pound piece of cabin baggage.

By bus: the buses run through all the cities in Bolivia, and they are the main mode of transportation. Not all roads are asphalted, there are still many dirt tracks, especially in the South (in the Uyuni region). Buses offer a cheap form of transportation, but they usually aren’t as comfortable as the buses in Peru.

By private vehicle: if you are in a small group, your tour can be done in a private vehicle, specifically between Uyuni, Potosi and Sucre. This is a good way to explore the country at your own pace, by making stops along the way on request! However on the longer trips, such as La Paz-Uyuni, La Paz-Sucre or La Paz-Santa Cruz, we would recommend flying.

By train: the train system is not very developed in Bolivia. The main train line is the one linking Oruro to Uyuni, which offers decent comfort, though a little old-fashioned. The trains do not leave daily, and the journey is very long. We would recommend flying to Uyuni instead.