The Choqueyapu River flowing through the Bolivian highlands created a huge canyon that runs from the northwest to the southeast. The city of La Paz is built around the bottom and sides of the canyon. The main street of the city runs roughly in the same direction as the river. Different sections of the road have different names, but the tree-lined section that runs through the core downtown area is called the Prado. El Alto, which grew into a city from a suburb of La Paz, is spread over a wide area on the Altiplano or high plateau, west of the canyon. The international airport is located here.
As you fly or drive into La Paz, you will first be greeted by a view of El Alto's shantytowns and then the incredible sight of La Paz, its buildings poised precariously on the sides of the canyon, which looks like a large cut in the earth.
Our La Paz Transportation Guide below will tell you how to get to and around the city. You should also check out our La Paz tours, which are a great way of exploring the region. Our Bolivia Transportation Guide provides more information on getting to and around this spectacular country.
La Paz Transportation Guide
Getting to La Paz
By Air
El Alto International Airport (IATA: LPB) (ICAO: SLLP), El Alto
At a height of 13,313 ft or 4,058 m above sea level, El Alto International Airport is the world's highest international airport. Its height is about half the cruising altitude of a jetliner! The thin air causes slight delays in flight takeoffs. The airport departure tax is $24 for international flights and Bs 14 for domestic flights.
Most South American airlines including TAM, LAN, TACA and the local airline Aerosur operate flights out of this airport. International flights usually fly via Santa Cruz. The only US airline that serves Bolivia is American Airlines with a daily flight to Miami. Aerosur, a new, private airline, serves other domestic destinations as well.
Until April 2007, Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano (LAB) was Bolivia's national airline. The government stopped its services due to financial problems.
A taxi from the airport to the city centre costs about Bs 50 or $6. A shared van costs Bs 4 or $0.50.
By Bus
You can take a bus from the main bus terminal in La Paz, which is located in Central Park near the upper end of the Prado. Buses leaving La Paz pick up passengers from El Alto as well so it may take an hour to leave the city limits.
A plaza near the La Paz cemetery (Cementerio) on the west is where buses arrive from Lake Titicaca. This route is the land route from Puno in Peru and also from Sorata. The bus journey to Cochabamba takes seven to eight hours while it takes three hours to reach Oruro.
To go from La Paz to Chile, catch a bus to Arica, a journey of about eight hours. You can continue onward to Iquique, which takes 12 - 14 hours. It is best to start early at about 7 am to arrive at Iquique before midnight.
Getting Around La Paz
By Bus
There are three different modes of public transportation in La Paz. Shared taxis called trufis ply on fixed routes that are advertised on their windshields. The fare is usually Bs 3. Regular buses are called micros and the fare is Bs 1.30. Shared vans are called mini buses and the fare is Bs 1.50 - Bs 2.30 depending on the distance travelled. Both types of buses display the fare on their windshields while mini buses also have fare collectors who hang out of the bus calling out the routes. You can board a bus or mini bus anywhere. Just shout "jvoy a bajar!" when you want to get off the bus.
By Taxi
Taking a taxi is the easiest way to get around the city. Since they do not run on meters, a fare should be agreed upon before boarding. A ride within the downtown area of La Paz costs about Bs 6 - Bs 8. For longer routes, consult two or more taxi drivers about the fare before boarding. A taxi ride from downtown La Paz to any location within the city should not cost more than Bs 20.
By Foot
If you get lost in La Paz, the best thing to do is to walk downhill to the Prado or some other main road. You can then take a taxi downtown, provided you are on the south side of the city, which is known as Zona sur.
