Travel Information - Adventure Guide to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands - page 37

Getting Around
By Air
Many internal flights are with TAME, including those to
the Galápagos, as well as major towns throughout the An-
des, Oriente and along the coast. Other local airlines in-
clude SAN, the internal flight subsidiary of SAETA.
Domestic flights are worthwhile, especially if you are heading deep
into the Oriente and they are less expensive than flying direct to the
Galápagos. Prices generally range from $40 to $120, depending on
your destination. Flights to the Galápagos, on the other hand, cost
$390 fromQuito during high season, as the islands are 600miles from
the mainland. Ecuador's international airline, SAETA, and its do-
mestic sister company, SAN, also offer flights between major cities
and San Cristóbal Island in the Galápagos. You can make arrange-
ments with other Ecuadorian carriers through travel agents inQuito.
Quito's domestic terminal is adjacent to the international terminal.
See airline contact information above for airline details.
Public Transportation
Ecuador's public transportation and travel infrastructure
is fairly well developed. Public buses are frequent, inex-
pensive, and increasingly located around central termi-
nals in each town. In fact, they are the easiest and most
efficient way to travel around Ecuador. Buses are the main form of
transportation for many Ecuadorians and, therefore, they travel to
virtually every corner of the country. Each village, town and city will
have easy access to bus transportation, whether it's in the form of a
major bus terminal or by a dusty street-side general store. And, be-
lieve it or not, some buses are almost comfortable and clean. Roads
are decent in most regions and long-distance travel is straightfor-
ward (sometimes made a bit too thrilling by “enthusiastic” bus driv-
ers). Just make sure you know where to get off the bus so you can tell
the driver where to stop.