Train and bus schedules, Sucre/Potosi/Uyuni/La Paz?

by Jim
(Toledo, Ohio, USA)

Hello, My son and I are planning a trip to Bolivia in early March. The three places we most want to visit are the salt flats of Uyuni, Potosi and La Paz. We only have 9 days, so we want to get around the country as efficiently as possible. Planning this has been difficult, since there don't seem to be very many up-to-date train and bus schedules online.

We land in La Paz. Our tentative plan is to fly immediately to Sucre via Aerosur, and from there go to Potosi, and then Uyuni, and then back to La Paz. I would welcome general suggestions and comments on our plan, but I also have some specific questions:

1. Does the train still run from Sucre to Potosi, and if so, what is its schedule of departure and arrival?

2. What is the best way to get from Potosi to Uyuni? Are there buses? Is there a train? Where can I find schedules?

3. Does the train still run from Uyuni to Oruro, and if so, on what schedule? If not, what is the fastest way back to La Paz from Uyuni?

Thanks to anyone who can help. Jim

Comments for Train and bus schedules, Sucre/Potosi/Uyuni/La Paz?

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Mar 26, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		bus uyuni to la paz
by: Ruta Verde Tours

Hi, right now the best bus company for Uyuni - La Paz is Todo Turismo (night bus). It will take about 10 hours to get to La Paz of which 7 hours are over an unpaved road, so it never gets really comfortable.

Gijs
Mar 26, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		buses from Uyuni to La Paz
by: BoliviaBella

You might want to see this page for Uyuni bus and train information. The Terminal de Buses in Uyuni is located at Calle Arce and Cabrera.

Crillon Tours has these amazing hydrofoils that cause no environmental pollution. I took one once from Puno to Huatajata. It was awesome!

Transturin has catamarans and you can also take a mini-bus around the lake from Copacabana to Peru.
Mar 25, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Bus to La Paz
by: Anonymous

Hi Guys,

This information is great. However I am going to be arriving in Uyuni after coming on a tour from San Pedro de Attacama and then want to get to La Paz.

Can someone let me know what companies are best to bus with, I don't want to spend more time in Uyuni so would like to do a night bus after I arrive from my tour at 3pmish.

Also, what is the best way to cross to the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca?

Thanks!
Jan 10, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Ops forgot the link
by: Agus

Bolivia is not well organize so the schedules change all the time. Is a train that leaves from Oruro to Uyuni. Buses fro La Paz to Oruro leaves everyday from 6am till 5pm is only 3hrs drive
here goes the link from d trains

http://www.fca.com.bo/

since u don't have a lot of time I will say it's easier and cheap to flight to Sucre round trip is like U$D 120

other option is to take a bus cama I will recomend you flota Copacabana is safe and buses are pretty clean. Make sure they sell you the coche cama!!!
Jan 10, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Im in Bolivia right now
by: Agus

Hi I'm traveling thru Bolivia right now. I'm in Sucre at this moment coming fom La Paz. The best way to do it with out stressing your self out! From La Paz take an airplane in a cheapest airline could be BOA or TAM I know boa have flights often to Sucre.

From Sucre you have 3hrs to Potosi. Uyuni is beautiful and Sucre is worth it to stay for a night is a clean, pretty and safe city. I'm staying in La Pisada, nice hotel and good price.
La Paz 2 days is fine, more than that it could drive you nuts. That way you could get away from La Paz either one to Coroico - Las Yungas 3 hrs drive a yropica weather very green and relaxing or to Copacabana Lake Titicaca, to Isla del Sol pretty place to spend a night
Hope this help
have a hood trip
Feb 28, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		the train is unreliable
by: Anonymous

Just to let you know... there are some real problems with that train line at the moment. I spent 6 hours sat in the middle of the desert before being pushed back to Villazon the other day meaning I had to get a bus.
Jan 02, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		Bolivia trip
by: Ruta Verde Tours

Dear Jim, I suggest the following:
When in La Paz take a night bus to Uyuni (10 hours). In Uyuni you can take a 3 day tour (salar and lagoons). After the tour you can take a bus to Potosi, but I recommend to take one the day after because you will probably be very tired after your 3 day Uyuni trip (lots of time is being spent in the car). Uyuni - Potosi is 6 hours by bus. From Potosi to Uyuni you can take a taxi or bus, it´s a 3 hour drive. From Sucre you can fly to La Paz. You can easily do this in 9 days.
Take into account that in March you can expect some rain and itineraries are sometimes changed due to the weather conditions.

I don´t have a schedule for the train Potosi - Sucre. There is one for Uyuni - Oruro, see http://www.fca.com.bo/contenido.php?seccion=2&subseccion=42

The train is more comfortable than the bus but disadvantages are:
1) you have to switch transport in Oruro
2) service is irregular, I mean to say that the train is not running every day and not leaving at the same time when it is running

If we can help you in any way, please let us know.

Best regards, Gijs Dijkshoorn

Ruta Verde Tours
Calle 21 de Mayo 318
Casilla Postal 4030
Tel/Fax: + 591 3 3396470
http://www.rutaverdebolivia.com

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