Paraguay: Getting there & around

Paraguay's only international airport is in Asunción. Direct international flights from here are limited to neighboring countries: Buenos Aires, Argentina; La Paz and Santa Cruz, Bolivia; São Paulo and Rio be Janeiro, Brazil; Iquique and Santiago, Chile.

Transportes Aéreos Mercosur has daily flights from/to Buenos Aires, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, São Paolo, Santiago and Ciudad del Este. Bolivian carrier LAB shuttles between La Paz, Santa Cruz and Asunción. Varig has daily flights to Foz de Iguazú, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Brazilian GOL heads to Brasilia and Buenos Aires.

There are only a few overland crossings: three from Argentina, two from Brazil and a sometimes-tricky border crossing from Bolivia.

Boats cross into Asunción and Encarnación from Argentina, but immigration procedures are more complicated if entering by boat. With patience, unofficial river travel from Concepción to Isla Margarita on the Brazilian border is possible.

By bus, negotiating Paraguayan borders can be interesting to say the least; on, off, on and off again. Ask the driver to stop at immigration (locals don't always need to) and be sure your papers are in order. Note that some bus companies claim to travel further into Brazil than border towns, but actually change buses after crossing the border.

There are passenger boats from Asunción and Concepción up the Río Paraguay to a number of river ports.

Buses dominate transportation throughout Paraguay with cheap fares and reasonably efficient service. None go from start to end without picking someone up. Servicio removido makes flag stops; servicio directo collects passengers at fixed locations; común stops at fewer locations, while ejecutivo is a faster, deluxe bus.

Metered taxis also operate in the capital.

Your own wheels come at a cost, but it can be worth it if there's a few of you. Driving can be dangerous with wooden oxcarts and livestock among the more obvious road hazards.

Hitchhiking is quite safe is Paraguay although women should always exercise caution. Beware of afternoon heat and carry water. Most drivers will not ask for money.