About Ecuador, Let's Get a Few Things Straight

cccmedia

Ecuador / Colombia Expert

Member since 14 March 2014

Quito, Pichincha

cccmedia

07 July 2022 02:05:33

10197

cccmedia

07 July 2022 02:05:33

10197

Quito, Pichincha

Have you ever read or been told you won't

need to have your own car in Ecuador because

public transit is so great?

Immigration attorney Sara Chaca puts the lie

to that notion.

"The city bus system is often crowded,

unpleasant, rough and polluted.

"If you are not very careful, the bus is

one of the easiest places to be robbed

or pickpocketed."

Transportation is only one of 15 things

in Ecuador that Sara has identified

that may not be exactly as you read

in International L-----

or Live and I----- Overseas.

Source... Sara Chaca writing at

www.cuencahighlife.com,

'Issues for expats living in Ecuador'

rkg695

Contributor

Member since 15 May 2022

Cotacachi, Imbabura

rkg695

07 July 2022 23:35:45

158

rkg695

07 July 2022 23:35:45

158

Cotacachi, Imbabura

@cccmedia I'd definitely rather walk - I find the centres of Quito, Cuenca and Loja quite easy to get around on foot - ask me to go up a hill anywhere in Ecuador though, especially in Quito, and I'll catch a taxi thanks!

“Oh look! the “Virgen de El Panecillo” is only four blocks away… but 650 feet straight up… TAXIIIII !!!!

The intercity buses i've taken between Quito and Cotacachi on the other hand are very clean, comfortable, and haven't been overcrowded or feeling unsafe very often. Still keep your bags in your lap never under your seat; the Internet is rife with stories someone will cut them open behind you without you knowing and disappear with your valuables… is it very common? I guess it depends on the route, time of day, and origin city.

i've been told to look for the “Pana” sign on the bus to be sure I'm getting a direct route That will get me where I'm going in a couple of hours, rather than the one that's gonna take all day and into the night, stopping 10 or 20 times along the way, in the middle of nowhere, with a lot of random people hopping on and off at unscheduled stops.