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Getting There by Air
The main airlines are TAME (EQ) (website: www.tame.com.ec) and LANEcuador (XL) (website: www.lanecuador.net).
Approximate Flight Times
From London to Quito is 17 hours, and from New York 9 hours 30 minutes.
Main Airports
Quito (UIO) (Mariscal Sucre) (website: www.quitoairport.com) is 8km (5 miles) from the city centre. To/from the airport: Buses and shuttles operate frequently (journey time – 20-30 minutes). Return is from Avenida 10 de Agosto. Taxis are also available. Facilities: Tourist information, VIP lounge, public telephones, medical service, bars, car hire, duty-free shops, banks/currency exchanges and restaurants.
Guayaquil (GYE) (Simón Bolívar) (website: www.tagsa.aero) is 5km (3 miles) from the city. To/from the airport: There are bus and taxi services into the city. Facilities: Banks/currency exchanges, postal service, VIP lounge, duty-free shops and restaurants.
Air Passes
Guayaquil (GYE) (Simón Bolívar) (website: www.tagsa.aero) is 5km (3 miles) from the city. To/from the airport: There are bus and taxi services into the city. Facilities: Banks/currency exchanges, postal service, VIP lounge, duty-free shops and restaurants.
oneworld Visit South America Pass: valid within Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile (except Easter Island), Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Participating airlines are Aer Lingus (EI), American Airlines (AA), British Airways (BA), Cathay Pacific (CX), Finnair (AY), Iberia (IB), LAN (LA) and Qantas (QF). The pass must be bought outside South America in the country of residence. It allows unlimited travel to 34 cities. 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.
Departure Tax
US$25.
Getting There by Water
Main port: Guayaquil is the main port in Ecuador for both passengers and freight (website: www.puertodeguayaquil.com). There are passenger/cargo services from Europe, which take around 20 to 22 days, and from the USA.
Getting There by Road
The Pan-American Highway bisects the country. It begins at the Colombian border in the Carchi province and runs south on to Quito, Riobamba, Cuenca, Loja and ending at Macará near the border with Peru. Part of the highway is toll-administered and the condition of the road is mostly quite good. However, it mainly goes through mountains, making it fairly dangerous to drive.
Bus: Panamericana Internacional operates direct services to Venezuela, and connections to Colombia, Perú, Chile and Argentina (tel: (2) 250 1585). Rutas de América operates direct services once or twice a week to Colombia, Peru and Venezuela, with connections to Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Chile (tel: (2) 254 8142). Visitors should remember to carry their passports at all times as there may be frequent checks, both within Ecuador and at border crossings.
Bus: Panamericana Internacional operates direct services to Venezuela, and connections to Colombia, Perú, Chile and Argentina (tel: (2) 250 1585). Rutas de América operates direct services once or twice a week to Colombia, Peru and Venezuela, with connections to Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Chile (tel: (2) 254 8142). Visitors should remember to carry their passports at all times as there may be frequent checks, both within Ecuador and at border crossings.
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