Tacna Getting there & around

Getting there & away

Local transport

Taxi

Numerous colectivo taxis (US$3.60 to US$4.50, two hours) to Arica, Chile, leave between 6am and 10pm from the international terminal across the street from Terminal Terrestre. On Friday and Saturday, you may also find taxis willing to go outside these times, but expect to pay over the odds.

Fast, though notoriously unsafe, colectivo taxis to Moquegua (US$4.50, 2½ hours) and sometimes Ilo leave when full from Mercado Grau, a short walk uphill from Terminal Terrestre. Be sure to keep your wits about you in the dangerous market area.

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Land

Bus

There are a few major bus terminals. Most long-distance departures leave from Terminal Terrestre (72 7007) on Hipólito Unanue, at the northeast edge of town. Terminal Bolognesi (71 1786), a 1km walk uphill and to the right from Terminal Terrestre, is for regional buses and combis to the beach at Boca del Río and other villages outside the city limits but within the department of Tacna.

International

Infrequent buses (US$3) to Arica, Chile, leave between 6am and 10pm from the international terminal across the street from Terminal Terrestre.

Overnight económico buses to Puno (US$7.50, 10 hours) via Desaguadero on the Bolivian border (US$6, eight hours) mostly leave from Av Circumvalación, east of the main terminals. There are about a dozen companies with offices lined up next to one another here; all buses leave in the late afternoon or evening. But this is a rough, cold overnight journey with limited bathroom breaks at the side of the road in the middle of the night. It’s much better to go to Arequipa first, then transfer – trust us! Exceptions to that rule are the comfortable luxury buses that often go via Desaguadero.

Long-distance

Buses are frequently stopped and searched by immigration and/or customs officials not far north of Tacna. Have your passport handy, and beware of passengers asking you to hold a package for them while they go to the bathroom or smoke a cigarette.

A US$0.30 terminal-use tax is levied at Terminal Terrestre. For Lima (US$18 to US$43, 18 to 22 hours) there are luxury services run by Cruz del Sur (42 5729), Ormeño (42 3292) and at least a half-dozen smaller, cheaper but less-reliable companies. Most Lima-bound buses leave in the afternoon or evening and will drop you off at other south-coast towns, including Nazca and Ica. Cruz del Sur also has a daily direct overnight bus to Cuzco (US$22.50, 16 hours) via Puno (US$15, 10 hours) and Desaguadero (US$12, eight hours). Flores (42 6691) has hourly económico buses to Moquegua (US$3, three hours) and Arequipa (US$6.50, seven hours) from 5:30am until 10pm, plus 10 buses daily to Ilo (US$3, 3½ hours). Many other bus companies serve these destinations, but not as cheaply or frequently.

Train

Trains between Tacna’s train station (42 4981) and Arica, Chile (US$1.50, 1½ hours) are the cheapest and most charming but also the slowest way to cross the border. Your passport is stamped at the station before boarding the train in Tacna. There is no stop at the actual border and you receive your entry stamp when you arrive in Chile near Arica’s Plaza de Armas. Though this historic railway is a must for train buffs, service can be erratic and inconveniently timed. There’s usually one train in the early morning before dawn and another in the late afternoon. Always double-check at the station for the latest schedules and book tickets at least a day in advance.

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Air

Tacna’s airport (code TCQ; 84 4503) is 5km west of town. At the time of research, Aero Condor Perú (24 8187; Arias Araguez 135) was the only company offering regularly scheduled passenger services, though its dirt-cheap, thrice-weekly flights to Arequipa were often fully booked weeks ahead of time.

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