Uruguay

Getting around

Uruguayan buses and roads are well maintained. Montevideo is the transport hub. If you stay on the coast or river roads, you’ll never be waiting long for a bus. Try something tricky (Chuy to Tacuarembó, for example) and you’ll experience otherwise. Due to its small size, Uruguay is perfect for bus travel – the longest ride you’re likely to take is a measly six hours.

Bus & tram

Bus

Bus travel in Uruguay is a lot less painful than in many parts of the world. Most towns have a terminal de omnibus (central bus terminal) for long-distance buses. To get your choice of seat, buy tickets in advance from the terminal. Local buses are usually slow and crowded, but cheap.

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Car & motorcycle

Due to the excellent bus network, not many people use independent transport to get around Uruguay, although cars and motorbikes can be hired in tourist centers like Colonia and Punta del Este.

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Local transport

Taxi

Taxis are so cheap they’re hard to resist. Meters are always out of whack, so drivers consult a photocopied chart to calculate the fare. A long ride in Montevideo shouldn’t go over US$5; short hops in small towns usually cost less than US$1. On weekends and at night, fares are 25% to 50% higher.

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Air

If you really need to get somewhere in a hurry, internal charter flights are available with Aeromas (www.aeromas.com) from Montevideo to Salto, Tacuarembó, Paysandú, Rivera and Artigas.

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