La Paz, Bolivia – Forms of Public Transportation

Jun 14, 2010
Karin-Marijke Vis

Travel by Mircrobus in La Paz, Bolivia - Coen Wubbels

Travellers to La Paz, Bolivia will easily find their way around using public transport. Buses and taxis are cheap and come in different types.

The best way to explore downtown La Paz is on foot. The city centre is a hive of activity and there is something to see on every corner. However, streets are steep and at an altitude of 3600 metres one can easily get out of breath. Taking a taxi or bus is a cheap and often easy way to move around. Fortunately, La Paz has quite a few different forms of public transport.

Buses as Forms of Public Transportation in La Paz, Bolivia

One can hear them from afar, the minibuses whose attendant has the job of shouting the bus' destination and fare. Windscreens display an amalgam of destinations [often landmarks or neighbourhoods], however, they will stop at any requested point for passengers to get on and off. The price is between 1 and 2.5 bolivianos [10 to 30 dollar cents], depending on the distance.

Conspicuous from afar are the Microbuses, an interesting name for the large, mostly blue and sometimes green buses that ply fixed routes within the centre of La Paz. Their destinations are displayed on the windscreens and passengers pay a fixed price of 1 boliviano, no matter the distance.

A trufi is a regular car like a taxi, but which plies a fixed route within the city, just like the minibus and Microbus. They are recognisable by two flags on the bumper and at night carry a light on top of the roof. A trufi costs 1.8 bolivianos per person regardless of the distance and the driver may stop along the way to take on more passengers.

Types of Taxis in La Paz, Bolivia

Taxis are available day and night and can either be requested by telephone or waved down on the street. However, there are some distinctions between the different types of taxis.

A radio taxi is recognisable by its advertising sign on the roof, stating the name of the company and a telephone number. A radio taxi can be waved down as well. One pays between 6 and 10 bolivianos [0.70-1.30 US dollars] within the centre of La Paz, for up to four passengers. If a taxi is needed outside La Paz, for example to go to the airport, the market of El Alto or Mallasse, it’s best to ask the fare beforehand to avoid unpleasant situations afterwards.

A regular taxi costs 3 bolivianos per person within the city centre and it may stop along the way to pick up other passengers. Sometimes it will serve as a radio taxi and ask for a higher fare, for example when the distance is great. In this case the driver doesn't stop to take on other passengers. A regular taxi can be recognized by a stripe of yellow-black squares along the side of the taxi and the green-red-green stripes painted on the roof.

More tips on travel to La Paz, Bolivia

For safety reasons it is advised to take a radio taxi at night, especially when driving to or from more remote neighbourhoods. Travellers visiting La Paz may want to read these articles: