In this post, I talk generally about modes of ground transportation in Peru. Next post, I will specifically review Peru Hop, the hop on, hop off bus company we traveled with.
Destination: Southern Peru
Cities visited: Lima, Paracas, Huacachina, Arequipa, Puno (Lake Titicaca), Ollantaytambo and Cusco
I’ve said before that I’m not one to relinquish control of a vehicle, so picture this: I’m in the tight back seat of an over-sized colectivo van with a half-functioning seatbelt, squeezed between my partner and a fast-asleep 80-something as we zoom around tractor-trailer sized boulders in the middle of the Andes.
Thanks, Anxiety: How I Ended Up in a Colectivo
I had done a lot of research before this hour-long trip from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, a small village en route to Machu Picchu, because, well, *anxiety*. We had settled on hiring a private car.
Compared to Colectivos, private cars are more expensive at an estimated 90 soles from Cusco to Ollantaytambo (or 30 USD) versus 10 soles per person in a colectivo (3 USD). But, while we had both wonderful and terrifying experiences with private cars in Peru, the one-on-one interaction makes it easier to have a say in the experience.
We went down to the hostel desk:
“Could you hire a taxi for us to Ollantaytambo?”
*Looks at us as if we’ve asked for a taxi to the moon*
“Why would you take a taxi?”
*Cue social anxiety*
“Because…”
“Taxis are so expensive.”
“Um…”
“Take a colectivo.”
“Bu–”
“They’re totally safe. I use them all the time.”
“…”
Peligroso is a Word I Definitely Know
So, we walked down to Cusco’s colectivo station, about 20 minutes from the Plaza de Armas, near which most of the hostels are located, and off we went, speeding through tiny towns and traveling along some pretty breathtaking landscapes.
And then…
bright orange barriers full across the road with “PELIGROSO” in large, black font. My Spanish isn’t great but you betcha that my anxious brain latches onto words like peligroso – dangerous.
As we skirted the barrier, it became evident why the road was closed. Let me remind you of the TRUCK-SIZED BOULDERS. To our left, a sheer cliff. At some point, the road had clearly been subjected to more than its share of landslides and washouts. Some areas seemed to have been reconstructed with only patted down dirt, though to be honest I tried to look as infrequently as possible.
I realize now that this probably would have been a great time for me to take my prescription anxiety medicine, but as is often the case, I was too busy being anxious to think about it then.
Tip: If you have anxiety medicine, don’t forget to use it.
To make a long story short, we made it in one piece. I apologized to the man to my right for grasping his arm in terror. He smiled wisely.
As we got out of the van, the driver was lowering a crate full of live chickens from the roof. I wondered who had been more scared.
Seeking Safety in a Sea of Options
We learned later that our private driver would likely have gone the same way. Looking at a map, there are only two routes between Cusco and Ollantaytambo, and this road was the faster. Coming back from Machu Picchu with tourist pros PeruRail, our bus took the long way ‘round, for which I was oh-so grateful.
A lot of Peru is like this – limited route options to cross large swaths of land. Roads are mainly two lanes – one in each direction – and so there’s a lot of getting stuck behind trucks and slower drivers and, subsequently, passing those trucks and drivers. Even if you’re on a blind turn.
Knowing your comfort threshold is important when choosing your modes of travel. Standing by that knowledge is just as important. Peruvians are direct and can be pushy, so stand up for yourself.
I know plenty of people who love to do everything like the locals and I completely respect that. But some of us just have to find our own balance between daring and comfort and admit that we’re okay with doing things like a tourist sometimes. For me, I’ll eat just about anything put in front of me, but I will hesitate getting into a taxi even in my hometown.
So, knowing what your options are for ground travel is the first step to planning your Peruvian adventure.
Modes of Transportation in Peru
Private Cars
Taxis and Ubers
There are only a couple licensed taxi companies and many resources, including Jorge Chavez International Airport’s website, are quick to discourage using other means of shared or private cars. When arriving in Lima, a ground transportation area can direct you to them.
Out in the “wild,” it gets a little more complicated. Many cars I rode in had designations as both taxis and Ubers and I never quite figured out how to tell if a car was licensed or not. Many taxis look like private cars and some cars look like taxis but aren’t officially licensed.
It’s difficult to tell if hailing from the road whether you’re being picked up by a taxi or a random person. As such, most hostels encourage you to arrange cars through them to ensure you’re dealing with a real company.
Because Uber is laxly regulated, most official sources discourage its use. The Lima airport reportedly doesn’t even allow them to pick up passengers because of ongoing problems.
We did take one Uber in Cusco, though, up to Tambomachay Ruins (where we then walked back to the city stopping at three other historical sites), and that was actually one of the better rides we had.
As in the States, drivers vary. The benefit of one-on-one rides is that you can say “Do you mind driving slower?”
During our trip, we rarely took private cars. Why drive when you can walk and take in the scenery that way? Mainly, we used them for trips to and from airports (walking is cautioned against around the Lima airport).
We had friends who relied almost solely on Uber and had good luck the whole time, but some of the warnings I’d read scared me off. I’m not a huge fan of using rideshares even in the U.S. If you do end up taking a taxi, I recommend asking your hostel or hotel to arrange to avoid confusion or dangerous situations.
Rental cars
While available, it’s important to remind you one more time that drivers are aggressive and reckless, and many roads are seasonal, lack safety rails, or are not kept up. And robberies are a very real thing in certain areas.
The U.S. State Department actually bans embassy members from traveling mountainous roads at night.
Something I haven’t mentioned yet is that within town lines, many roads are narrow and require smaller-than-Americans-are-used-to cars. Driving in the residential San Blas neighborhood of Cusco, for example, seems more of a headache than convenience. With its beautiful one-lane cobblestone roads through Cusco’s hills, there’s barely enough room for pedestrians and one car, let alone pedestrians and two cars.
Now that’s out of the way, if you are braver than I, rental cars are available and allow flexibility in travel. See a vicuna on the hillside? Pull right on over! I know of a few travelers who successfully rented cars to make their own way along Peru’s classic tourist trail.
Just do your research.
Will you even need a car? If you’re staying in Lima and flying directly to Cusco, for example, there’s no point. In Lima, traffic is so horrendous that walking is a much faster and safer option after a simple taxi or bus ride from the airport. Once in Cusco, sites are walkable or a short taxi ride away.
Stick with well-known companies to avoid unsafe cars, check regulations before you go – are you old enough to rent – and know that if you want to get to know fellow travelers, other options may make more sense.
Tuk-Tuks, aka Auto Rickshaw
I like the name tuk-tuk because it mimics the sound of these tiny cars tukking along the road. In Peru, my partner and I enjoyed lots of Punch Buggy because of the large amount of Volkswagon Beetles in the country, but we also expanded the game to Tuk-Tuk Touch.
These mini cars can be spotted in big cities like Lima to tiny towns like Ollantaytambo. Though I’d be hesitant to use them in Lima – the roads are so congested with colectivos, trucks, and aggressive cars I can only assume tuk-tuks would be the loser in any battle – my one regret was not using one in smaller villages like Ollantaytambo or Huacachina just for the fun of it.
These aren’t for long rides from city to city (though in the desert oasis Huacachina, my friends said they made for an ideal trip to the grocery in nearby Ica), but are good for local travel.
Shared Rides
Colectivos and Combis
There’s some disagreement over whether Colectivos and Combis are the same thing or different things in Peru. Some say that it comes down to vehicle type (car vs van vs bus, for example), others say it depends on region and local phrasing. I’ve also seen that it may come down to how you take it – do you go to a station or wave it down on the road?
I can’t really say one way or the other on any of these points because the truth is I only ever heard the term colectivo in use by tourists and locals alike. Both, in general, can be described this way: a form of group transit in which people crowd into a vehicle and pay a very small sum to get to their destination.
I’ll use the term colectivo because that’s the one I’m more familiar with.
City transit
In cities, they’re impossible to miss. They’re the decades-old minivan with 20 people inside and a person hanging out the open sliding door yelling at people to get in even as it drives away.
City colectivos are the least safe version. I’ve heard of stories of drivers dragging riders who didn’t get in fast enough. They are erratic in traffic and, with so many people in them, there’s no way everyone is safely secured.
I also have no idea how you’re supposed to know where the vans are going. Most of the drivers simply yelled “You need ride?” to us without mentioning a destination.
Intercity transit
As mentioned above in my story, colectivos are popular for intercity travel because they’re massively affordable.
The large van/small bus we took was relatively new compared to those I’d seen inching around Lima, which were so old they wouldn’t have been able to make it at the speed or distance needed.
I’m not sure whether colectivos that use a depot are more regulated or not. What I did observe was that, in contrast to the every man for himself vibe of an inner-city colectivo, each passenger here had their own seat – besides a couple of very small children who sat on their parents’ laps – and most had functioning seatbelts.
Beside the closed road incident, this van felt leagues safer than the innercity ones and I know plenty of other travelers who used them, too.
Are they up to the safety standards of U.S. and European transit? No.
Did one get me where I wanted to go? Yes.
Buses
Buses are an important mode of transportation in Peru and they’re getting a whole post!
Next post, I’ll be reviewing Peru Hop, the hop-on, hop-off bus we used to travel Peru’s classic tourist trail.
The Wrap-Up
Familiarize yourself with destinations and ways to get there before you leave, look for reliable recommendations, and always allow your hostel to arrange a pick up instead of flagging rides down on the street.
All of this is especially true for those – like me – whose Spanish isn’t strong.
Keep an eye out for my next post that reviews Peru Hop and discusses Cruz del Sur, two of the most popular and trusted bus groups for tourists.
I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy! Hasta luego.
The Scaredy-Cat's Guide to Travel 