Buses in Peru

On the road to Arequipa.

The tourists traditionnaly use two means of transportation in Peru. The domestic flights are usually cheap and can help you go from a city to another that is far, like from Lima to Cusco, in a really short time.

For the others, the bus is still the cheapest way. For longer runs, one can travel by night, saving on a hostel and on one or two meals, because they are usually included.

The most famous company is Cruz del Sur. It is the one with the best comments from tourists across the internet. More expensive, they offer good comfort and good security. All the luggages are checked-in and safely placed under the bus. Meals are good enough and they even make you play Bingo on the road. It is possible to book online.

I went from Lima to Arequipa (for around 150 soles) with this company without having anything bad to say about it. It is possible to recline the seats to make comfortable enough beds. Only thing was we got to our destination a little bit late.

Another popular company is Oltursa. A little cheaper, it offers different types of seats, between half a bed and a regular seat which is impossible to recline. Luggages are also checked-in.

Friends who used it encountered big delays. I, for one, tested Oltursa from Arequipa to Cusco (100 soles) after having bought my ticket online. If we got to our destination on time, it is only because of the hectic driving of our driver. He was going very fast and abruptly from left to right, which woke us up a couple of times. Food wasn't that great either.

The comments I gathered about other companies, and the one I could find online, are mostly negative. Theft, fraud, dangerous driving have all been mentionned. One must know the cheapest companies tend to hire the worst drivers because they don't pay them well.

In the end, my adventure on board of a Tour Peru bus went well between Cusco and Copacabana (90 soles) in Bolivia. They took care of everything at the border. The only problem was one of us couldn't buckle his seatbelt because it was broken. There was no service on board.

So before chosing, with security in mind, it is important to read the comments online and to get informed. The lowest price is not always the best option.