Travelling by bus is the common way to travel in South America, it is also one of the cheapest ways to get around.
I travelled only by bus and by plane when I explored more of this content and there are lots of things to know before you do the same especially as there is sometimes there is a huge difference between the buses in different countries depending on the location, their development stage and/or tourism level.
Here are some general tips and hints to help you navigate South America by bus, and advice how to stay safe.
1. Learn the language
Knowing at least basic Spanish (or Portuguese in Brazil) will be really useful as you’ll find most people even in tourism hubs don’t speak English. Start learning on apps, book language classes or study online – I wrote a guide to helpful Spanish travel phrases which you might want to check out.
2. Know what you need on the ride and get it beforehand
Most distances in South America are long and usually a bus ride takes about 5-15 hours, so it is good to know what you need beforehand. I always bring some food and water. Most trips include a breakfast, food and drinks, but this could be a cookie with a small cup of tea, which might not be enough.
3. What to wear
Usually, when I board a bus I put my most practical and worst clothes on.
First, practical means good and many pockets (deep, ideally with zippers or another way to close them) on my trousers and comfortable. I have a special trouser in greenish, with many pockets and I can detach the legs of with zippers to make it medium or very short.
Second, worst clothes, well usually you are rich compared to the locals, thus I prefer to look more like a poor traveller than a rich one.
My tips for how to hide money and valuables when backpacking might give you some ideas how to keep the important things safe.
4. Should you keep your valuables with you or in the cargo bay – short checklist
First of all, in South America it is quite common that you need your passport / ID card even within the borders of one and the same country. Thus, when travelling with a bus I recommend to keep your passport always with you.
• Do you travel alone? Yes, 1 point for the cargo bay.
• Do you travel with another person or a group that you trust and keeps an eye on your stuff too? Yes, 2 points for keeping it with you in the bus.
• Is it a long ride? Yes, 1 point for the cargoy bay.
• Are you tired or do you fall fast asleep? Yes, 2 points for the cargo bay.
• Do you have the possibility to really secure your stuff in the bus, e.g., small backpack with lock and a chain to mount it to your place? Yes, 3 points for keeping it with you in the bus.
• Do you travel with a secure bus company with strong regulations special staff, vouchers, etc.? (Like the first class of the Cruz del Sur fleet in Peru? Yes, 5 points for the cargo bay.
• You like peace of mind, while sitting in the bus and tired of watching your stuff? Yes, 3 points for the cargo bay.
In my case, I nearly always put a vast amount of my valuables in the backpack that was stored in the cargo bay.
5. Know what you should take with you in the bus
Well, check what you need, then what you want and then what you could need.
My list is as follows:
• Something to drink
• Something to eat
• Hygiene products
• Something to entertain me (book(s), phone, iPad)
6. Check and/or determine where they put your backpack
This is necessary if you are travelling with a bus that carries liquids or stuff that can run out. If they put your backpack below a bag of eggs and these eggs break, well bad luck. I heard from some travellers that insisted that their backpacks are put on the top of the bus to avoid such situations. Personally I think this is only necessary in a very few occassions. If you want to be on the safe side you can always put your rain gear around your backpack everytime it is stored in the bus.
7. Watch your stuff
Important – watch your stuff before it is stored in the bus and watch your stuff while you are in the bus.
Depending on the security level also watch it after it was stored in the bus AND everytime the bus stops (I only did this in Bolivia). In Peru, Chile and Argentina I always got vouchers for my stuff and the bus stops and service was quite organized, thus after I gave them my backpack I was pretty sure that it is safe and it was always.
In Argentina I once forgot my hat, while changing a bus and then they asked who forgot it. Wow, I was pretty amazed about that.
Yet, in Bolivia the service and security is quite different – also depening on the bus company – there I always watched my stuff, right before the moment we took off and at every stop we took a look at the cargo bay. Sometimes even leaving the bus to check.
Buses in Argentina and Chile
Good quality, good service and secure. It is the common way to travel for most people in these countries and it is also quite cheap for them. In Argentina have a bit of tip ready for the person who takes out the backpack of the bus and checks your voucher. I think 0,25 to 0,50 Pesos were common, just take a look what the other people give him.
Buses in Bolivia
Bolivia is always a great adventure and so are the buses and the roads. The buses are not really comfortable, cleanliness is limited and I watched my stuff very closely. Especially, since the country is very poor and I am really rich compared to nearly everyone there.
I always boarded the bus after I took a look, where my backpack was stored and that most other people boarded the bus. Also I couldn’t determine a difference between most bus companies in less touristic areas. Only in Salar de Uyuni there are one or two special agencies that provide high quality buses, I don’t know the names but it is quite easy to find them.
Another thing, the leaving times are quite strange. When I was in Tupiza (Southern Bolivia), I needed a ride from there to Sucre, well all companies were leaving at the same time to Sucre and they did it only once a day!? Thus, it is better to check beforehand. Don’t assume – like I did – that they each company leaves at another time.
Buses in Perú
In Perú I mostly travelled with Cruz del Sur. It is more like travelling with an airplane than a bus ride from the organization and safety features. At least if you take the first two classes. I travelled with all three classes, between the first (Cruzero) and second class (Imperial) there is only a slight difference. The third class (Ideal) is also really good, but it depends where you travelled before and what you want.
The first two classes do non-stop travel (with on-board breakfast/lunch/dinner), thus you don’t even have to think about your backpack on the whole ride.
I only travelled with Cruz del Sur in Perú, thus I don’t know anything about the other companies. I heard that Cruz del Sur is overrated, but this was from a backpacker who travelled Bolivia on her own for a few weeks, thus she was well experienced and hardend than most other backpackers out there.
Note, when you travel with the first two classes of Cruz del Sur that the passengers are mostly higher middle-to-upper class Peruvians and tourists.
