Means of transport Quito

Trans Esmeraldas Internacional (TEISA) began its operations in 1970, covering the routes between the provinces of Pichincha, Guayas and Esmeraldas. From 1977, it was incorporated as a joint stock company with several co-owners, which also led to the construction of its own terminals.

This passenger transport company has grown over time and covers the 10 provinces of El Oro, Orellana, Esmeraldas, Azuay, Guayas, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Sucumbíos, Manabí, Pichincha and Santa Elena.

Founded in 1950 by a handful of Imbabura entrepreneurs, Flota Imbabura is a local transport company offering quality service. It serves Cuenca, Guayaquil, Manta, Ibarra and Tulcán from Quito. The coaches are in excellent condition and very well maintained. Departures to each of these destinations are approximately every hour. It is advisable to buy your ticket in advance via the website or by visiting one of the many Flota Imbabura agencies to guarantee your trip.

The Trolebus crosses the city on a north-south axis following Maldonado and Avenida 10 de Agosto, linking the Carcelén terminal to the north and Terminal Quitumbe to the south. It passes through the historic center, skirting Guayaquil to the south and Flores and Montúfar to the north. It is now complemented by a metro system, due to come into service in 2023, providing a much faster link between the city center and the new town. Thanks to its dedicated lanes, the Trolebus is often a faster and cheaper option than the cab.

The Ecovía, a service provided by the metropolis and complementary to the Trolebus, serves the eastern part of Quito along Avenida 6 de Diciembre, between the Quitumbe Terminal in the south and Río Coca in the north. This is a bus line that will allow you to avoid the big traffic jams at the beginning or end of the day in Quito and at the same time will allow you to discover a part of the city that is not usually frequented by visitors. The price of the ticket includes the connection with the conventional transport system, so you can get to all of Quito for less.

For the record, the first railroad in Ecuador dates back to 1873, and the presidency of Gabriel García Moreno; the first line covered 41 km between Yaguachi and Milagro, on the coast. In 1895, with the triumph of the Revolución Liberal led by Eloy Alfaro Delgado, work resumed. In 1897, the Guayaquil and Quito Railway Company was created to build the Ferrocarril del Sur (Southern Railway), and in 1902, the famous Nariz del Diablo line was built on the hill known as Cóndor Puñuna ("Condor's Nest").

A Quito-based cab and chauffeur-driven vehicle company that offers, in addition to cab services, customized transportation throughout the country in comfortable vehicles. 32 vehicles available and attractive prices compared with conventional transport agencies. The company is a kind of cooperative, with most of its vehicles based at the old airport in the center of Quito. The staff are very professional and friendly. WhatsApp recommended for reservations. Invoices are sent by email on request.

To get to the Southern Sierra, the coast or the Oriente region, you need to take a bus from the Quitumbe bus station, a huge, modern and well-organized land terminal south of the capital, which opened in 2009 to ease traffic inside Quito itself. At the station, you'll find vending machines, food stores, pharmacies, luggage storage and even an information desk.

This terminal serves the cities north and northwest of Quito (Guayllabamba, Nanegalito), the cantons of Tabacundo, San Miguel de los Bancos and Cayambe, and the north of the Sierra (province of Imbabura, for Otavalo and Carchi, for example). This is also where the buses to Mindo leave from. To get from the northern terminal of Carcelén to the southern terminal of Quitumbe or to the city centre, the taxi (or its modern substitutes) is the most convenient and fastest means of transport.

Many airlines serve this airport: KLM and Iberia, among others. The journey to the city takes about 1 hour, depending on the traffic density and the area of destination. The road to the centre is in perfect condition. To go from the airport to the center of Quito by taxi, count 25 US$ for 1 to 3 people. You can opt for the public bus or the private bus line Aeroservicios which offer this trip for 2 to 8 US$ per person.

A great international passenger airline within South America. Connecting Caracas to Lima, Panamericana offers stops all along the Andean chain, providing another way to discover the Andes, from north to south. The coaches are comfortable and the road is beautiful. If you're lucky, you'll catch several volcanoes on camera along the way. The vehicles stop about every 3 hours, so watch out for the departure, as the drivers are often impatient and not very good at counting the number of passengers on board.

Specializing in passenger transport from Quito to Guayaquil, this transport cooperative offers very high quality coaches where it is easy to take a nap during the journey, which often lasts about ten hours. The line offers more than 15 departures per day, mainly from the Quitumbe terminal, but also 3 daily departures from the Carcelen terminal, north of the city. It is recommended to buy your ticket in advance, either online or at the cooperative's agencies, often located in the bus station terminals.

The French airline was offering a direct flight from Paris to Quito in 2019, but the flight has not yet resumed service since the Covid-19 pandemic. For the time being, Air France/KLM is offering to fly via Amsterdam to Quito or Guayaquil, at very attractive prices. The return flight, especially if you're flying from Quito, is rather long, however, as it includes a stopover in Guayaquil. The ideal solution is probably to arrive in Quito and depart from Guayaquil.

Continental Airlines is an airline based in Quito. It offers air transport and travel services.

Colombian airline offering flights to Latin America.

In recent years, as in most cities around the world, VTC platforms have been developing at exponential speed, and Ecuador is no exception. To get around Quito and the surrounding area, Uber, although still in a legal limbo, is one of the solutions most used by locals. As safety is always paramount here, platforms of this type offer interesting protection insofar as their drivers are required to confirm their identity in order to work. Fares are slightly lower than those charged by cabs.

After many years of construction delays, the Quito metro finally began operating in 2023, much to the delight of Quiteños. Thanks to a line (the only one for the moment) with 15 stations, it links the two ends of the city at a much higher speed than the trolebús. From Labrador to Quitumbe, the line winds its way from north to south, under the city, and stops at the most important points of the capital. Shopping centers and the historic district are now less than a quarter of an hour away!