Ica Getting there & around

Getting there & away

Ica is a main destination for buses along the Panamericana, so it’s easy to get to/from Lima or Nazca. Most of the bus companies are clustered in a high-crime area at the west end of Salaverry, and also Manzanilla west of Lambayeque.

For Lima (US$3.50 to US$13.50, 4½ hours), Soyuz (23 3312) and Flores (21 2266) have departures every 15 minutes, while luxury services go a few times daily with Cruz del Sur (22 3333) and Ormeño (21 5600). Many companies have daytime buses to Nazca (US$2, 2½ hours), while services to Arequipa (US$15 to US$24, 12 hours) are mostly overnight. However, these night buses are notoriously unsafe and recently there have been reports of robberies and hijackings.

To reach Pisco (US$2 to US$4.50, 1½ to two hours), Ormeño is the only major bus company that has direct buses from Ica. Other bus companies drop passengers at the San Clemente turnoff on the Panamericana, about 6km east of Pisco, where a variety of colectivo taxis and minivans wait to shuttle passengers into town (US$1, 10 minutes). Some faster, but slightly more expensive colectivos and minibuses headed for Pisco and Nazca leave when full from near the intersection of Lambayeque and Municipalidad in Ica.

Some small companies may serve destinations around Peru’s central highlands, such as Ayacucho and Huancavelica. Check the ever-changing schedules and fares in person at various bus company offices at the west end of Salaverry.