BootsnAll Travel Community

I need a bus from Argentina to Lima in early July..

The hitch is, i have a bike.

Ideally i am thinking about catching a bus from Salta to Arica, and then into Peru.

According to my footprints guide - Pullman and Gemini seem to offer this service, but i can gain no information about it from their websites..

However, i will travel to Buenos Aires if necessary.

If anyone has any recommended bus lines, or routes for this trip, or info about the bike - much appreciated!

You would have to do it in stages. Geminis goes to San Pedro de Atacama three days a week, Tues., Thurs, Sun. at 07:00 am and gets to San Pedro about 4.30 in the pm. I have an email address for them from last year, not sure if it will work:
geminissalta@arnet.com.ar
San Pedro to Arica is another long ride. Then you cross the border into Perú.
I know Ormeño (a Peruvian company) does very long trips to Perú from other SA countries. You could see if they have a website.

Ok, what about using the train in Bolivia as an option?

Ormeno leaves from Mendoza ..

If anyones interested:

Uyuni to Tupiza - $7.50us (horrible bolivian bus)

Tupiza (bol) to Salta (luxury bus after crossing the boarder on foot at villazon) - $19us

**the bolivian bus missed the connection in Villazon, so i stayed the night and walked across the boarder in the morning, forgetting the time changed i had thought i had 3 hours to wait, instead of 2. Luckily, as i sat and munched out and read on the outskirt of the small station .. the driver of my luxury bus came and found me. - in bolivia they would leave without me and fill my seat without thinking twice.**

Salta (arg) to Arica - $60us (4hr layover at mall in Calama with casa de cambios inside.)

**instantly a man helped me off the arica bus and loaded me onto a bus headed for La paz, with 2 seats to myself upfront, no hassle about the bike, and food and beverage provided - however, early morning casa de cambio hombre ripped me off with a counterfiet 10,000 peso bill.**

Arica - La paz - $16us

La Paz - Lima $55us w/ transfer at Puno (claimed full cama luxury CIAL bus, however then claimed my bike couldnt fit in a full cama bus, and i got a mediocre semi cama with great front seats.)

All together - $157.50 + perhaps $15 dollars for the bike

(argentina was the only place they were vigilant and difficult about not having the bike in the station and making me take the wheels off and charging me alot 40 pesos!) - which is bullshit.. the drivers or luggage loaders often claim there is no room and it is impossible, yet i can clearly load my bike standing up taking no room and perhaps there are even empty compartments completely! - One must be vigilent, and ive raised my voice "NO, agencia dices bicycalet incluyo todo ruta, yo pago primero!" - and all of a sudden its no problem loading...

Anyways, bus travel is VERY easy in south america .. just go to one destination and select another carrier from there. Just be careful to check the facilities and quality of bus - ive been lied to directly MANY times.