Peru's buses are run by a
variety of private companies, all of which offer
remarkably low fares , making it possible to
travel from one end of the country to the other
(over 2000km) for under $30. Long-distance bus
journeys cost around $1.50 per hour on the fast
coastal highway, and are even cheaper on the
slower mountain and jungle routes. The condition
of the buses ranges from the relatively
luxurious Cruz del Sur fleet that runs along the
coast, to the scruffy old ex-US schoolbuses used
on local runs throughout the country. Some of
the better bus companies, such as Cruz del Sur,
Ormeño and Movil, offer excellent onboard
facilities including sandwich bars and video
entertainment. The major companies generally
offer two or three levels of service anyway, and
many companies run the longer journeys by night.
If you don't want to miss the scenery, you can
hop relatively easily between the smaller towns,
which usually works out at not much more.
As the only means of transport available to most
of the population, buses run with surprising
regularity, and the coastal Panamerican Highway
and many of the main routes into the mountains
have now been paved (one of President Fujimori's
most successful construction programmes), so on
such routes services are generally punctual. On
some of the rougher mountainous routes,
punctures, arguments over rights of way and, in
the rainy season, landslides may mean you arrive
several hours late.
At least one bus depot or stopping area can be
found in the centre of any town. Peru is
investing in a series of terminal terrestres ,
or terrapuertos , centralizing the departure and
arrival of the manifold operators, but it's
always a good idea to double-check where the bus
is leaving from, since in some cities, notably
Arequipa, bus offices are in different locations
to the bus terminal. Lima has so many buses that
the major companies are in the middle of
rationalizing their own private terminals and
departure points (presently incredibly complex)
while the rest still cling to depots mostly in
the heart of Lima Centro and traffic congestion.
If you can't get to a bus depot or terminal
terrestre, you can try to catch a bus from the
police control on the edge of town, or flag one
down virtually anywhere, though there's no
guarantee of getting a ride or a seat. For
intercity rides, it's best to buy tickets in
advance direct from the bus company offices; for
local trips, you can buy tickets on the bus
itself. On long-distance journeys, try and avoid
getting seats right over the jarring wheels,
especially if the bus is tackling mountain or
jungle roads.
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