Bolivia Travel Guide - Getting There

The national airline is AeroSur (website: www.aerosur.com).

There are no direct flights from the UK. The main routes involve transit in Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires or Miami for connections to La Paz and Santa Cruz. Flight time from London via Buenos Aires and Madrid is 16 hours. From Miami to Santa Cruz is 7 hours.

La Paz (LPB) (El Alto International) is 14km (8.5 miles) southwest of La Paz. To/from the airport: Regular minibus services to the city depart after scheduled flight arrivals (journey time - 20 minutes), heading for the terminus at Plaza Isabel La Católica. Facilities: restaurant and cafe, call centre and Internet access.

Santa Cruz (VVI) (Viru Viru International) is 16km (10 miles) from the centre of Santa Cruz and is the largest airport in Bolivia. To/from the airport: Regular minibus services to the city depart after scheduled flight arrivals (journey time - 30 minutes), heading for the terminus at the statue of Christ the Redeemer. Facilities: Cafe, sandwich bar, call centre, hotel reservations, Internet access and duty-free facilities. 

For further information, contact the Bolivian Airports Service (SABSA) (website: www.sabsa.aero).

oneworld Visit South America Pass: valid for unlimited travel to 34 cities in ten countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile (except Easter Island), Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Participating airlines include American Airlines (AA), British Airways (BA), Iberia (IB) and LAN (LA). The pass must be bought outside South America in the country of residence. A minimum of three flights must be booked, with a maximum of 20; prices depend on the amount of flight zones. For further details, contact one of the participating airlines.

US$24. Payable in US Dollars for all non-residents. There is also a national passenger tax of Bs169 for international departures.

Although it is a member of the International Maritime Organisation, Bolivia is wholly landlocked and not served by cruises. However, it is possible to reach ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Peru by ship and, from there, there are rail connections to La Paz or Santa Cruz. The nearest seaport is Arica in the extreme north of Chile. There are also crossings at Port Heath on the Madre de Dios river (Peru), the Bermejo or Pilcomayo rivers (Argentina) and from Brasilia to Cobija across to the Acre River and from Guayaramerin across the Heinez river (both in Brazil).

Steamers cross Lake Titicaca to the Peruvian port of Puno from Guaqui, the most important port on the lake. Situated 90km (56 miles) from La Paz, it is accessible by road but the journey is a rough one.

There are rail connections from Oruro to La Quiaca and Pocitos (Argentina), and a connection to Corumba (Brazil).

The Pan-American Highway, which links Argentina with Peru and Ecuador, skirts Bolivian territory from the south to the northwest. Driving in the rainy season may be hazardous. Principal highways are generally well-maintained.