private van from Guayaquil airport to cuenca

Good afternoon,ladies and gentlemen
I am assuming that you can see the above post I made  on Nov.27 . I case that you cant I am looking for help with finding a  private van  or SUV with someone who can speak English to transport my wife and I (with three or four suitcases) from Guayaquil to Cuenca probably the last weekend in january.during daylight hours.
Someone responded to my request but when I tried to contact them the Expat,com website keeps  saying  "under maintenance" for the past three days. I decided to ask the question again, and I apologise for the repeat question. I am taking a trip there just to see  Cuenca. Thank you very much .
Toniop

Hello Toniop

The site has changed from Expat.com to Expat.com and maybe that's why you found the "under maintenance" note.

Are you still experiencing that issue?

We would appreciate if you could forward troubles you are experiencing through our contact form

Do check out your inbox and see if you can retrieve messages that may have been sent to you.

I just sent you a private message. We can continue in private if the problem persists.

Regards
Kenjee

Operazuaytour charges $90.  They pick you up at the airport and drop you off at where you are staying.  we use them and like them.

Round trip is $180

Thanks very much operazuay tour but i have already arranged  the trip with another person and I will honor my word with him.
  Sorry about that, but I will keep you in mind for future reference  since we  will be in Cuenca for several weeks. Thanks again
Antonio

Not a problem.  Have a good trip.  Maybe we will meet in Cuenca.

Get in touch with JourneymanJack,

He does Expat and Tourist logistics all over Ecuador. He has a large vehicle set up for travel. He is a licensed commercial driver in the U.S. as well as here in Ecuador. He routinely does airport runs, day trips, and trips all over the country.

You can find him on this site, he would be happy to assist you I'm sure.

Hi there, I was just wondering about operazuaytur - apparently they have a shared van type taxi to Cuenca for $12. This can be picked up at Guayaquil airport. Has anyone any feedback on this service?

I saw the post from 2015 that stated $90 to Cuenca. I guess that would have increased in price??? Of course.

It's my first time in Ecuador so I'd like to be able to see something on the journey...

Any other suggestions welcome!

Thanks in advance

Trish

Hi there, how to contact journeymanmac?  Thanks in advance

My strongest recommendation is to take the coach-bus to Cuenca the morning after you arrive.  The coach is easy, comfortable and cheap, under $10 per person.  You may check your luggage under the coach

You can take the coach-bus to Cuenca from the Terminal Terrestre de Guayaquil (Guayaquil bus terminal).  The terminal is only 2 km north of the airport.

There is a busy three-floor shopping mall that is integrated with the Guayaquil bus terminal, complete with a food court and supermarket. The prices are competitive. The terminal is crowded and chaotic. The  signs will direct you to the ticket window where you buy your tickets.

The trip is about 3.5 hours. Via Guayaquil, you travel through urban sprawl and then the hot, rural wetlands and on to the foothills. And then you'll ascend into the Andes via the lush cloud forest. You won't have phone service in this section. On the other side of the cloud forest in the high mountains, you'll wind through mountain ridges. You'll see some ranches here and there, and then some villages. Finally, you'll arrive at Terminal Terrestre de Cuenca. There will be plenty of taxis wating that can take you to your destination in Cuenca.

The bus drivers are total pros. Relax and leave it to the experts.

Oh yeah, and the whole bus trip is amazing for the views!! Definitely go during the day for sightseeing reasons.

Hi there

Thanks for your reply. I'm a bit mystified really. The reports I've had are that this bus is not safe.

You are talking about the bus that stops frequently so that anyone can get on and then off? Or is this a new bus line that doesn't stop between Guayaquil and Cuenca?

Anyway thank you for your input.

This is a coach. It is like a  tour bus, with TV, air conditioning, and sometimes WiFi. It is a direct line to Cuenca. It may make a single stop at the terminal in Duran. I have taken this line myself several times.

Regarding safety, the reports you have read are anecdotal and don't reflect the experience of tens of thousands of Ecuadorians who travel by coach daily.

Maybe those reports are used to convince you to use the expensive services of competitors?

Don't worry.

To clarify, the coaches between cities in Ecuador are similar to intercity travel like Megabus in the USA, or National Express in the UK.

Local municipal buses are fairly simple and spartan, on the other hand.

Thanks for your input. I appreciate it......

We took a taxi to Mini-Bus service (-$2.00). I think it was operazuaytur. We didn't arrange to have minibus pick us up at the airport. That's expensive. We took the minibus to Cuenca. Leaves every hour. Most recommend doing it in daytime, I think because it's dark and twisty and dangerous to drive on, not because you'll be robbed, but I've heard of busses breaking down and people left stranded. You don't want that at night. Besides it's very beautiful and interesting. The cost was $12 per person (included one bag) plus 5.00 for extra bags. The terminal for the mini is small and not at all crowded so it was easy to haul all our stuff (we're here for a year) to the curb for a cab. The buses on the other hand are in busy terminals mostly. We have kids so this was the easiest option besides renting a private van.

Thanks so much for the information!!! Very much appreciated! I think that's what I'll do take the van as you mentioned. Thanks again.

Unfortunately, there was yet another bus accident. The latest one occurred today and resulted in 10 deaths including three children.

It was traveling between Cuenca and Loja.

How very sad!! May they all rest in peace.....