Ecuador: Getting there & around

Traveling by air is the most common way to get to Ecuador. Quito's international airport, Aeropuerto Mariscal Sucre (tel: 02 294 4900; www.quitoairport.com) is about 10km (6mi) north of the city center, and Guayaquil's airport, Aeropuerto Simón Bolívar (tel: 04 228 2100; Av de las Américas s/n) is about 5km (3mi) north. Both have direct connections to Houston, Los Angeles, Miami and New York. Nearly all flights from Europe and Australasia go via these cities or through the Caribbean. Some airlines also fly direct from Central and South American countries. The region's main international hub is Lima - it can be cheaper to fly to Peru and continue overland to Ecuador (a 24-hour bus trip).

From North or Central America, the Panamericana (Highway) stops in Panama and begins again in Colombia, leaving a 200km (124mi) roadless section of jungle - the Darien Gap. Most overland travelers fly over this region or jump on a private yacht as a crew member. Once in South America, travel by public bus from neighboring Andean countries.

Driving a private car into Ecuador can be a hassle. You are officially required to have a Carnet de Passage en Douane (CPD) to temporarily 'import' the car without paying an import tax. Motorcycles present fewer problems.

You can travel down the Río Napo from Ecuador to Peru. However, border facilities are minimal and boats are infrequent. Few cruise ships stop at Guayaquil as they head down the Pacific Coast. A few cargo lines carry passengers, but it usually costs more than flying.

Ecuador has an efficient air transport system. As the country is small and relatively cheap, budget travelers have the option of internal flights. The main domestic airlines are TAME and Icaro. Two of the Galápagos Islands can be reached by air from the mainland, but they're expensive - it's no longer possible to travel to the islands by boat.

Most travelers use buses. Busetas (22-seat buses) cover long distances quickly; autobuses are slower but more social and fun. Carry your passport when traveling as there are frequent (usually cursory) transit police checks on the highway. Camionetas (pick-ups), rancheras (trucks) and taxis can be hired for long journeys - negotiate a price before you ride. Most cities and towns have a main terminal terrestre (bus terminal).

Local buses are usually slow and crowded, but very cheap. Outside Quito, fixed stops are virtually nonexistent. To get on, flag them down; to get off, yell Baja! (Down!).

Hitching is not practical in Ecuador: there are few private cars and there is ample public transport.

Rental cars are available in Guayaquil, Quito and Cuenca.

Two vestiges of Ecuador's train system still function: the tourist train from Quito to El Boliche and the descent from Riobamba to Sibambe. The latter is known as the Naríz del Diablo (Devil's Nose) - its hair-raising switchbacks were one of the world's greatest feats of railroad engineering.