Central Highlands - Peru - page 628

Bus
Most buses (to long-distance north- and south-bound destinations) arrive and depart from
the snazzy new terminal terrestre to the north of the city center, although you can still buy
tickets at the downtown offices (it's best to ask when buying your ticket where your bus
departs from). A taxi here costs S8. Terminal terrestre zona sur handles departures to re-
gional destinations south of Ayacucho.
Transport connections with Lima are via the relatively fast and spectacular Hwy 24 that
traverses the Andes via Rumichaca to Pisco. Night departures outnumber day departures,
but day trips are naturally more interesting for the wild scenery en route. Choose your bus
and company carefully. Ticket prices to/from Lima range from S30 for a regular seat to
S60 for a reclining armchair that you can sleep in. The trip takes around nine hours. Take
warm clothing if traveling by night. For the below, departures are all from the terminal
terrestre unless otherwise stated.
For Lima, Expreso Molina Offline map Google map ( 31-9989; Jirón 9 de Diciembre
459-73) is a good option. There are two daily departures and no less than seven night de-
partures with the 'special' cama service being best for comfort. Expreso Internacional
Palomino Offline map Google map ( 31-3899; Manco Cápac 255) also offers an evening
cama service. Another reliable cheap option is Turismo Libertadores Offline map
Google map ( 31-3614; Manco Cápac 295) .
There is an exception to every rule, of course, and Cruz del Sur Offline map Google map
( 31-2813; Cáceres 1264) , the fanciest Lima service of all, leaves from its own ter-
minal. It charges its own brand of prices too: S67 above or S97 below for semireclining/
fully-reclining seats.
Traveling south or north to other Andean towns presents challenges. Many roads are
unpaved and subject to washouts in the rainy season. Destinations in this category include
Andahuaylas, Abancay and Cuzco to the southeast and Huancayo to the north. Be pre-
pared for delays. That said, the road to Andahuaylas/Abancay/Cuzco is now fast-improv-
ing and paved in parts. For Cuzco (S65, 14 to 16 hours) and Andahuaylas (S35, six to sev-
en hours), seek out Expreso Turismo Los Chankas Offline map Google map (Manco Cápac
450) , which has four departures daily. It's a long, rough trip: the journey can be broken at
Andahuaylas. Departures are from the city center office. Be advised that robberies occa-
sionally occur on the night bus: traveling during the day is recommended.
For Huancayo (S30 to S40, nine to 12 hours), Expreso Molina is again the preferred
choice, with one daily and five night departures. The more expensive (and longer) ser-
vices are for the safer route via Rumichaca. Take note: the cheaper service, which includes
the one daytime departure, is a tough (albeit spectacular) 250km trip and not for the faint-