Bus to Lima!

[lilabaila2]

Hmm, I am also looking to do the Buenos Aires - Lima busride. Not exactly looking forward to it, as it sounds mighty uncomfortable, but the savings from airfare are pretty significant. Besides, I bussed through southeast Asia; can't be that much worse, right? Right??!

Can anyone recommend or recommend against bus companies? I'm traveling on my own, leaving in a couple days, and I've got much to figure out! (PS if anyone is going this route and needs a travel buddy hit me up).

Gracias!

 

[elhombresinnombre]

It all depends on what you want. If you simply want to get from A to B as quickly as possible (for a given value of "quickly") then look at the schedules here http://www.omnilineas.com/argentina/bus/retiro/lima-peru/ and search this forum for what people have already said about these bus companies. If you want to make up your own route in stages then it will probably cost a bit more and take a bit longer but you could pick the best of the bus companies at every stage.

 

[emilyr]

I heard to look for Expresso or Directo.
I am going to La Paz again by bus in a little over a week....and well, it IS an awful trip! It's only awful because of the endless movies that penetrate the peaceful reflection time the trip MIGHT have provided you to read a great novel. Bring the ear plugs and headphones with very calming music to tune out the movies. If you pass through southern Bolivia, expect overnight sleeping on unpaved roads.
To be 100% frank for the purpose of helping other forum people, the other worst part is....imagine.....2 or 3 days, NO bathroom. Well, there IS a bathroom on the bus. But they threaten over and over to sanction the bathroom for the rest of the trip if anyone goes #2 in it. Your only option is the ten minutes of rest area time with huge lines of your fellow passengers waiting outside three stalls.
But I agree, it's worth the savings and you will survive! There are plenty of people who make the long trip with babies and children. And a lot of these direct buses have special "in-route service" with meals that is somehow charming when they give you a little packet of terrible cookies for a snack!

 

[sam3g]

The last time I was in Lima and wanted to get to BA I ended up paying $600US for a flight rather than opt for the $150 2-day bus ride. The catch was that my flight went all the way up to Panama before returning to Buenos Aires. What a pain! Load up on books/movies and take the bus

 

[Roxana]

Another option to buy (or search about buying) bus tickets on line, instead of going to Terminal de Omnibus Retiro is www.plataforma10.com. It gives you a lot of options and you can buy the tickets with your credit card. The website says that the company has an stand in Alto Palermo Shopping, basament level. I have never seen it.