Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Oruro and La Paz
Buses generally leave around 7pm or 8pm.
BUS COSTS & DISTANCES
DESTINATION COST (B$) DURATION (HR)
Atocha
30
4
Cochabamba
72-155
12
La Paz
71-230
10-12
Oruro
43-117
7-8
Potosí
30
6
Sucre
60-70
9
Tupiza
50
7-8
Villazón
60
10
Car
An alternative route to Chile is with an organized tour, which will leave you in San Pedro
de Atacama. Some of the tour companies, including Cordillera Tours (
Click here
), offer
direct jeep transfers to San Pedro, which cost around B$300 per person. The jeeps typic-
ally leave at 4pm, there's a sleepover in Villa Mar, and you arrive in San Pedro at noon the
next day. From San Pedro, buses to Salta, Argentina, depart three times weekly (Tuesday,
Friday and Saturday) at 10:30am. You can also get to Argentina via Villazón.
Train
Uyuni has a modern, well-organized
train station
(
693-2320;
www.fca.com.bo
;
Fer-
roviaria s/n)
. Trains take you north to Oruro, south to Villazón and east to Calama, Chile.
Seats often sell out so buy your ticket several days in advance or get an agency to do it for
you. There are numerous reports of slow trains, cancelled trains and large gaps in service
- but that's all part of the adventure.
Depending on size, you may have to check your backpack/case into the luggage com-
partment. Look out for snatch thieves on the train just before it pulls out.
Expreso del Sur is the slightly more luxurious line, departing Uyuni for Oruro on
Thursday and Sunday at 12:05am (1st/coach B$112/56); it departs for Atocha, Tupiza and
Villazón on Wednesday and Saturday at 12:45am.
