There are lots of different ways that you can get around in Ecuador! As a visitor who doesn’t speak Spanish fluently, it can sometimes be a little daunting trying to navigate public transportation. Unlike in the United States, you can’t just pull out your phone and have Google Maps tell you exactly which bus stop to walk to or which bus to wait for. Here in Ecuador, I’ve gotten very comfortable with approaching random strangers and asking for directions! While it’s always a good idea to be aware of your surroundings and always be careful, I’ve found that using public transportation has largely been very safe.
Here in Ecuador, ways of getting around depends on where you’re living. If you’re in a big city, buses, taxis or driving your own car is the most common mode of transportation. I live in Ibarra, which is a pretty small city, so walking is more common here than in Quito, the big capital city. Not everybody has a car, and for those who don’t, using the public buses or a taxi is very common as well.
If you’re trying to go in between cities, there are big bus stations that have large coach style buses (about 40 seats) that travel between cities. These buses are like the ones I took on field trips when I was in elementary school. The general rule is that it costs about $1 for every hour of travel.
