Social ConventionsNormal social courtesies in most Bolivian families and respect for traditions should be observed. Remember to refer to rural Bolivians as
campesinos rather than Indians, which is considered an insult. Western dress and diet are gradually being adopted by the
campesinos; a suit and tie for men and dress for women should be worn for smart social occasions. Casual wear is otherwise suitable. Smoking is accepted unless indicated otherwise.
International Travel:Getting There by AirThe national airline is
Lloyd Aéreo
Boliviano (LB) (website:
www.labairlines.co.uk).
Air Passesoneworld Visit South America Pass: valid within Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile (except Easter Island), Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Participating airlines are
Aer Lingus (EI),
American Airlines (AA),
British Airways (BA),
Cathay Pacific (CX),
Finnair (AY),
Iberia (IB),
LAN (LA) and
Qantas (QF). The pass must be bought outside South America in the country of residence. It allows unlimited travel to 34 cities. A minimum of three flights must be booked, with a maximum of 20; prices depend on the amount of flight zones. For further details, contact one of the participating airlines.
Departure TaxUS$25. Payable in US Dollars for all non-residents. For visitors staying longer than 90 days: US$50. There is also a national passenger tax of Bs169. For further information contact the
Bolivian Airports Service (SABSA) (website:
www.sabsa.com).
Main AirportsLa Paz (LPB) (El Alto) is 14km (8.5 miles) southwest of La Paz.
To/from the airport: Coach services to the city depart whenever there are scheduled flight arrivals (journey time – 20 minutes). Services from the city to the airport depart from Plaza Isabel La Católica. Minibus and taxis are also available.
Santa Cruz (VVI) (Viru-Viru) is 16km (10 miles) from the center of Santa Cruz and is the largest airport in Bolivia.
To/from the airport: Taxis are available.
Facilities: Restaurant and duty-free facilities are available.
Getting There by WaterAlthough it is a member of the International Maritime Organization, Bolivia is wholly landlocked. However, it is possible to reach ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Peru by
ship and, from there, there are rail connections to La Paz or Santa Cruz. The nearest seaport is
Arica in the extreme north of Chile. There are also crossings at Port Heath on the Madre de Dios river (Peru), the Bermejo or Pilcomayo rivers (Argentina) and from Brasilia to Cobija across to the Acre river and from Guayaramerin across the Heinez river (both in Brazil).
Steamers cross Lake Titicaca to the Peruvian port of Puno from
Guaqui, the most important port on the lake. Situated 90km (56 miles) from La Paz, it is accessible both by road and rail, though services are generally slow.
Getting There by RailThere is a connection from La Paz to La Quiaca and Pocitos (Argentina), and a connection to Arica (Chile), as well as to Coroba (Brazil). There is also a train to Calama (Chile) with bus connections to Antofagasta.
Getting There by RoadThe Pan-American Highway which links Argentina with Peru crosses Bolivian territory from the south to the northwest. Driving in the rainy season may be hazardous. Principal highways are generally well-maintained.
OverviewThe following goods may be imported into Bolivia by persons over 18 years of age without incurring customs duty:
400 cigarettes and 50 cigars or 500g of tobacco;
3l of alcoholic beverages;
new articles up to US$1,000.
Internal Travel:Getting Around By AirAirlines operating internal flights are
AeroSur (website:
www.aerosur.com) and
LAB (website:
www.labairlines.co.uk). Because of the country’s topography and tropical regions, air travel is the best method of transport, although delays, cancellations and general unreliability is highly possible.
La Paz (El Alto), which is the highest airport in the world, and
Santa Cruz (Viru-Viru) are the chief internal airports.
Getting Around by WaterDouble-decker passenger boats operate between the various small islands on Lake Titicaca and traverse the many rivers of the Amazon basin (the main thoroughfares being Ichilo, Mamoré, Beni, Madre de Dios and Guaporé rivers); most of them leave from Copacabana.
Getting Around by RailBolivia has two separate and unconnected networks - Eastern and Western (website:
www.fca.com.bo). The Eastern network’s hub is Santa Cruz from where trains travel to the Argentine and Brazilian borders. There is a daily train to Puerto Suarez, but services and speeds vary. The main Western line between Oruro and Tupiza runs frequently. The trains have three to four classes and some have restaurant cars. Tickets are bought at stations on day of journey.
Getting Around by RoadMany roads are paved, some are made of gravel and others of dirt. Traffic drives on the right.
Bus: Long bus trips off the main routes can be erratic. Most long-distance bus trips are overnight.
Taxi: All have fixed rates and sharing taxis is a common practice. Tipping is not necessary.
Car hire: International and local companies exist in La Paz.
Regulations: The national speed limit is 90kph (55mph).
Documentation: An International Driving Permit is required. This can be issued by Federación Inter-Americana de Touring y Automóvil on production of a national license, but it is wiser to obtain the International Permit before departure.
Getting Around Towns and CitiesBus services in La Paz are operated by a confederation of owner–operators. There are also some fixed route taxi ‘Trufi’ and ‘Trufibus’ systems which show colored flags for particular routes. Fares are regulated. In some cases, catching a ’truck’ can prove a better means of transport, being half the price of a bus and usually more reliable - although transportation is less comfortable.
Journey TimesThe following chart gives approximate journey times from
La Paz (in hours and minutes) to other major cities/towns in Bolivia.
| Air | Road | Rail |
| Cochabamba | 0.25 | 6.00 | - |
| Santa Cruz | 0.50 | 24.00 | - |
| Tarija | 1.00 | 18.00 | - |
| Sucre | 0.35 | 11.00 | 13.00 |
Note: Visitors should heed the dangers of altitude sickness, especially in the Altiplano.
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