Information Sheet Last Updated: August 2005

Roads, Car Travel, and Private Transportation

Driving in Ecuador is and adventure, partly due to potholes and other obstructions, lack of road signs, local drivers using the middle of the road, paved roads that are oil sprayed onto compacted earth, as well as fast and reckless bus drivers. Driving at night is not recommended.

You must be 21 to rent a car and have an international credit card. You may pay cash, which is cheaper and may allow you to bargain, but they want a credit card for security. You may be asked to sign two blank credit card vouchers, one for the rental fee and the other as a security deposit, and authorization for a charge of as much as US$5,000 may be requested against your credit card account. The unused vouchers will be returned to you when you return the car. Be careful when dealing with some smaller agencies and always check the amount of the deductible on the insurance which may be up to US$4,000. Be sure to check the car’s condition and ground clearance. Always make sure the car is securely garaged at night.

Renting a car in Ecuador has become a little safer in the past few years; you still have to check the insurance that is given and whether there is a limited km. It is wise to stick with the main companies that you have heard of from your home country. Remember driving here in Ecuador is very different from either the US or Europe, people are very aggressive and don’t take any notice of the law. If you don’t have any experience of third world driving now may not be the time to start!

Car Rental

Do NOT Use Arancar - Quito

Avis Rent-a-Car Phone: 2255 890 (Quito Airport), (042) 395 554 (Guayaquil Airport) Address: Office in Quito’s Mariscal Sucre Airport Web: www.avis.es Cost: Small cars $50 a day, 4x4, $70 – 95 Open: 06.30 to 23.30	Budget Rent-a-Car Phone: 2237 026 (Quito), 3300 979 (Quito Airport) Address: Av Colon E4/387 y Amazonas, also at Quito’s Mariscal Sucre Airport Web: www.budget.com Cost: Small cars $50 a day, 4 by 4 $95 Open: Mon to Sat 07.00 to 22.00, Sun 08.00 to 22.00
Expo Rent a Car Phone: 2228 688, 2562 743, 1800 736822 Address: Av. América 21-66 y Bolivia Email: reservaciones@exporentacar.com Web: www.exporentacar.com Cost:Small cars from $40 a day, 4x4 $55 - $80 a day.	Hertz Rent-a-Car Phone: 2 254 257/258 Address: Office in Quito’s Mariscal Sucre Airport Costs: Small Cars $ 65 a day, 4x4 $98 a day Web: www.hertz.com Open: Mon-Sun 0700-2300

Taxis

In Quito:

From Airport to Quito new town
Last Updated : April 16, 2001

All public transportation fees were raised on May 1, 2000 to reflect an increase in the cost of living. Taxis now have a minimum fare of 50 U.S. cents. The per km cost after this should be about nine cents. Expect to pay US$2 - US$2.50 from the airport to the SAE Quito clubhouse.

We suggest you insist on a meter at the airport if you cannot settle on a price. Keep in mind that all taxis have meters, even though their drivers may tell you otherwise.

A taxi driver may ask for more money if you have lots of baggage, many people, or if it is late at night.

 

Taxi Scam Warning

There is a scam going on at the Quito airport. Here is a testimony from an SAEC member:

"When I arrived at the international terminal, I was pleased to find a taxi driver who was happy to use the meter. I shared the taxi with 2 other travellers who'd just arrived. The meter seemed to be running OK, but was partly hidden under a cloth. The driver, a middle aged man, was friendly, and chatted to us in simple Spanish. He also helped us change money at the airport.

When we arrived at our hotels in the new town, he pressed a button on the meter, which then showed a price of nearly 80,000 sucres. We paid that, as our brains weren't functioning too well after the journey! A couple of weeks later I met some other travellers who'd had exactly the same experience, we think with the same driver."

Our suggestion is to set a price before getting into the taxi, even if the driver is willing to use a meter. The cab ride from the airport to hotels in the new town shouldn't really cost more than 10,000 sucres, but they will often charge 15,000. If folks are paying in US dollars, they can set a price of $5 (which is higher than the sucre price, but seems pretty reasonable for someone just off the plane). In general, when you get into a cab that's using a meter, make sure that you can see the meter at all times.

 

Legally (!), taxis should use meters (minimum during the day is $1) at all times in the city, but few of them will after dark, At night (minimum at night is $1.50) you will have to agree a price before you set off. In general, if traveling late at night, it’s better to call one of the cooperatives rather than hail a cab, both for security and fairness in pricing. On inter-provincial trips, drivers’ don’t use meters but rather set the prices beforehand.

City Taxi Phone: 2633-333, Open : 365 days/24hours, Some English spoken by most drivers, out-of-city transport	Taxis Lagos de Ibarra Phone: 25 65-992 (Quito), (06) 955-150 (Ibarra) Address: Asunción 382 y Versalles; Flores entre Sanchez y Cifuentes Open: Open from 7am to 7pm 365 days Uses meter. Service between Quito and Ibarra $7.50 each way. Do door-to-door pick-ups, 5 people per taxi to Ibarra, reasonably priced. If traveling on a Friday, book a few days in advance.
Taxi Amigo Phone: 2 222-222 Open : 365 days/24hours Uses meters, out-of city transport. Airport transfers	German Viteri (Taxi) Phone: 2343-445/ 095090508 Airport transfers. All places in Ecuador.
Transporte Rápido (Taxi) Phone: 2473-740/ 098295569	Radio Taxi JJ Phone: 2639-639

4x4 Vehicles

All come with a driver/guide.

Moggely 4x4 Transport Phone: 255 4984 Address: Calama y Ama zonas Email: Moggely@hotmail.com Web: www.moggely.com Costs: $45 for 2 persons, $60 for 3-4 persons. Cotopaxi or Ilinizas, 2 to 16 passengers SAE member discount	Safari Tours Phone: 255 2505 Address: Foch y Juan Leon Mera Email: admin@safari.com.ec Costs: 5-passenger 4x4 about $110/day, 7-passenger about $140/day. Driver doubles as guide, speaks English.
Transporte y Turismo Ecuador Phone: 2652-851/ 097652851 Contact: Lic. Hernán Villalba Email: hernanvillalba40@hotmail.com Costs: Full day $80 to $100 Speak English.	Transportation Rent Ecuador Alpine Institute Phone: 2565-465/ 096004090 Email: eai@ecuadorexplorer.com Costs: Jeep $100 a day, Van 4x4 $150 a day Speak English.
Turísmo Jaguayana Phone: 2236 – 027 Email: info@jaguayana.com Web: www.jaguayana.com Costs: One day $90 – $120 (Van 4x4)	Iván Phone: 098245152 Microbus (11 people). Costs: City tour $30, City + Mitad del Mundo $ 50, Mindo $80, Cotopaxi (Hacienda San Agustín, Saquisilí), Otavalo $80 (Full day), Baños $80, Tena $80