Buses
Traveling by bus in Bolivia has its charms, including economical bus fares and riding with the real people of Bolivia. However,most buses don't have bathrooms, and bus drivers don't like to stop along their route -- some 12-hour bus rides will only make two bathroom stops during the entire journey. Also, beware of strapping your bags to the top of buses since you might lose them along the way.
Overall, if you have a lot of time and not much money, the buses in Bolivia are perfectly adequate. If you're traveling on an overnight bus, we recommend the bus cama (buses where the seats recline enough to almost resemble a bed). Bus camas usually only cost $2 to $3 more than the regular bus. Most bus companies offer very similar services. Note that in the rainy season from October through April, some roads may become impassable.
Recommended Bus Companies:
Flota Copacabana
Trains
Railway passenger transport in the Andes region of Bolivia is handled by one major Chilean company called La Empresa Ferroviaria Andina S.A. (FCA). They have two lines: Expreso del Sur and Wara Wara del Sur. They connect Villazón, at the border with Argentina, with Oruro about 850 km / 530 mls). Both lines have modern trains, equipped with everything you need for comfortable long-distance travelling. The seats are adjustable, there's video, music, heating and a restaurant service. Both Expreso del Sur and Wara Wara have three classes, yet Expreso is more luxurious and faster than Wara. The conductor constantly makes his rounds, also at night, which makes it a pretty safe place. The majority of your fellow travellers will probably be tourists, more so in the more expensive classes.
International trains
The international line goes to Calama, Chile. You can either take this train at Avaroa or Uyuni. Avaroa is south of Tupiza.
Sunday
3.00 a.m.: departure from Uyuni
7.30 a.m.: arrival at Avaroa
Thursday
9.00 a.m.: departure from Avaroa
1.30 p.m.: arrival at Uyuni
