Ecuador compresses extreme geographic variation into 283,561 square kilometers. The country divides into four regions with fundamentally different transportation infrastructure: the coastal lowlands, the Andean highlands running north-south through the center, the Amazon basin east of the Andes, and the Galápagos Islands 1,000 kilometers offshore in the Pacific. No single transportation mode serves all regions equally. Road quality, vehicle types, and travel times vary drastically between a paved highway connecting Quito to Guayaquil and a mud track penetrating Yasuní National Park.
TAME dissolved in 2020, eliminating Ecuador's state carrier. Avianca Ecuador and LATAM Ecuador now dominate domestic routes. Quito's Mariscal Sucre International Airport sits 18 kilometers east of the city center at 2,400 meters elevation in Tababela, opened in 2013 to replace the old downtown airport. Guayaquil's José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport handles coastal connections. Flight time between Quito and Guayaquil runs 50 minutes. The same cities connect by road in approximately 8 hours under good conditions.
Galápagos flights depart exclusively from Guayaquil to Baltra Island and San Cristóbal Island. Avianca and LATAM operate these routes daily. Flight time is approximately 90 minutes. Round-trip fares range from 300 to 600 USD depending on season and booking advance. All passengers pay a 20 USD Galápagos transit control card at Guayaquil airport and a 100 USD national park entrance fee upon arrival in the islands, both cash-only until recent years when cards became accepted. These fees change occasionally but have remained stable since 2018.
The Shell-Mera airport in the Oriente serves small aircraft reaching Amazon lodges. Coca (officially Francisco de Orellana) has a commercial airport with flights to Quito. Light aircraft serve remote communities along the Napo River and deeper Amazon tributaries where road access does not exist. These flights operate on irregular schedules dependent on weather and passenger volume.
Ecuador's primary intercity transportation relies on bus companies operating from terminals called terminales terrestres. Quito's main terminal, Terminal Terrestre Quitumbe, sits in the southern city zone. Guayaquil's terminal occupies the north side near the airport. Cuenca's terminal serves the southern highlands. Buses depart these terminals to virtually every town of meaningful size. The fleet ranges from basic buses with wooden seats to premium coaches with reclining seats, air conditioning, and onboard toilets.
The Quito-Guayaquil route, Ecuador's most traveled, sees dozens of departures daily. Companies include Panamericana, Flota Imbabura, and Transportes Ecuador. Fares run 8 to 12 USD for standard service, 12 to 15 USD for executive class. Night buses operate this route continuously. The journey follows the E35 and E25 highways through Latacunga and Ambato, descending from 2,850 meters in Quito to sea level in Guayaquil. Fog in the highlands and landslides during rainy season regularly delay this route.
Cuenca connects to Guayaquil in approximately 4 hours via the E582 and E40 through Cajas National Park. The road crosses páramo at 4,000 meters before descending to coastal plains. This route encounters frequent fog. Buses run hourly during daylight. Quito to Cuenca takes 8 to 10 hours on the E35 through Riobamba and Alausí. Some routes detour through Baños.
Coastal routes connect Guayaquil to Manta (3 hours), Esmeraldas (8 hours through Santo Domingo), and Machala (3.5 hours south). The Guayaquil-Manta highway improved significantly after 2010. Buses to beach towns like Salinas and Montañita depart from Guayaquil terminal throughout the day. Frequencies increase during Ecuadorian holiday periods when coastal migration intensifies.
Amazon routes from Quito reach Lago Agrio (7 hours), Coca (8 hours), and Tena (5 hours) via the E20 eastward through Papallacta Pass at 4,064 meters, then descending into cloud forest and lowland rainforest. Road conditions deteriorate in the Oriente. Landslides close sections during heavy rain, particularly March through May. Buses often operate only in daylight on these routes due to visibility and safety considerations.
Private taxis negotiate long-distance fares for groups. A taxi from Quito to Otavalo (2 hours north) costs approximately 60 to 80 USD for the vehicle. Shared vans called camionetas operate informally on many routes, departing when full. These vans seat 6 to 8 passengers and leave from street corners near bus terminals rather than from the terminals themselves. Fares run slightly higher than buses but travel time decreases because vans make fewer stops.
Door-to-door shuttle services operate between major tourist destinations. Otavalo to Quito shuttles collect passengers at hotels. Baños to Quito shuttles serve backpacker hostels. These services cost 10 to 15 USD per person and must be booked in advance through accommodations or travel agencies.
Quito inaugurated its first Metro line in December 2023 after years of delays. Line 1 runs north-south for 22 kilometers from Quitumbe to El Labrador with 15 stations, operating entirely underground. Trains run every 3 to 4 minutes during peak hours. The single-ride fare is 0.45 USD, paid via rechargeable card. The Metro connects with the Ecovía, Metrobús, Trolebus, and other bus rapid transit lines that Quito developed since 1995.
Quito's trolleybus system opened in 1996, operating on dedicated lanes along Avenida 10 de Agosto and connecting northern and southern terminals. The Ecovía follows Avenida 6 de Diciembre. These systems use prepaid cards costing 0.35 USD per ride as of 2024. Regular city buses charge 0.35 USD exact change only. Urban buses in Quito number in the hundreds, operated by numerous cooperatives with overlapping routes that perplex visitors.
Guayaquil launched Metrovía in 2006, a bus rapid transit system with dedicated lanes along major arteries. Five lines operate. Fare is 0.30 USD paid with a rechargeable card. Regular city buses cost 0.30 USD cash. The Guayaquil aerial tramway Aerovía opened in 2020, connecting Durán across the Guayas River to the central neighborhood of Guayaquil with four stations spanning 4.6 kilometers. Fare is 0.90 USD.
Cuenca introduced its tranvía (modern tram) in 2020 after extended construction. The single line runs 10.4 kilometers with 20 stops from southwest to east across the city. Fare is 0.35 USD via rechargeable card. Cuenca city buses cost 0.30 USD. The historic center of Cuenca is walkable, measuring roughly 2 kilometers across.
Taxis in all cities use meters in theory. In Quito, the base fare starts at 1.50 USD with incremental charges. A typical cross-town ride costs 3 to 6 USD. Many taxi drivers in Ecuador do not activate meters. Negotiating fares before entering remains common practice. Uber operates in Quito, Guayaquil, and Cuenca but faced periodic regulatory challenges. Cabify entered the market in Quito and Guayaquil. Ride-sharing fares typically match or undercut metered taxi prices.