By
air
Most
international
visitors coming
to Ecuador
arrive at
Quito's Aeropuerto
Mariscal Sucre.
International
airlines flying
to Quito include
American
Airlines,
Continental,
Iberia,
KLM,
Lufthansa,
Air
France,
AOM
[French
Airlines].
South American
airlines include
Copa
[Panama],
Avensa
[Venezuela],
Avianca
[Columbia],
Lacsa
[Costa
Rica],
Viasa
[Venezuela],
LAB
[Bolivia],
AeroPeru
and Cubana.
The two Ecuadorean
airlines flying
internationally
in and out
of Quito are
TAME
and Ecuatoriana.
Facilities
in the airport
terminal include
a cafeteria,
gift shops,
an Andinatel
telephone
office and
a tourist
information
office where
reservations
for hotels
can be made.
If it's your
first visit
to Ecuador
and you're
not on an
organised
tour you might
feel more
secure making
reservations
before you
arrive, although
even in peak
season there
are always
rooms available
in Quito.
Some travellers
just hop in
a cab and
ask the driver
to take them
to a suitable
hotel
or hostel.
The 10km [six
mile]
trip from
the airport
to the town
centre should
cost about
US$5. Some
drivers try
to charge
more for journeys
from the international
terminal so
bargain hard,
or just walk
down to the
domestic terminal
where fares
tend to be
less expensive.
Alternatively,
stroll over
to the avenue
in front of
the terminal
and flag down
a metered
taxi or take
a southbound
bus.
If you're
leaving Quito
by air on
an international
flight, don't
forget there
is a departure
tax
of US$31.60
(at the time
of writing),
payable in
cash. There
is no departure
tax on domestic
flights, nor
if you are
leaving the
country over
land.
By bus
Buses are a
great way of
exploring Ecuador,
especially as
they're cheap
and the network
covers the whole
country. With
Quito as the
main transport
hub, the starting
point for most
long-distance
journeys is
the bus terminal,
Terminal
Terrestre,
at Maldonado
and Cumanda,
a few hundred
metres south
of Plaza Santo
Domingo in the
old town. Finding
the terminal
might be the
most difficult
part of your
journey since
it isn't clearly
marked on some
maps. When using
the terminal
for the first
time it's probably
best to take
a taxi, which
from most parts
of Quito won't
cost more than
three or four
dollars. Once
you're familiar
with the terminal
you can take
the trolley
bus along 10
de Agosto to
the Cumanda
stop and walk
down the steps.
The most reliable
information
about buses
can be obtained
at the terminal,
where each bus
company has
an office. There
are frequent
buses to all
the main towns
and cities making
it unnecessary
to buy tickets
in advance except
on major holidays
and festivals.
Just show up
with a destination
in mind [
or
not, if you
want to be truly
adventurous]
and you'll find
a bus going
there shortly.
Because there
are usually
thick crowds
at the bus terminal
keep an especially
sharp eye on
your belongings.
By
train
The old, decrepit
but charming
Quito
Railway Station
is on Maldonado
south of the
old town.
Take a taxi
or buses #1
or #2
heading south.
*Prices
are approximate
Last
updated 21st
July 2006
| |Article contributed by Dominic Hamilton||| |
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