How to Get to Cuenca from Quito and Guayaquil: Bus, Plane and Car

You can reach Cuenca by bus, plane or car from Quito and Guayaquil. The best option depends on how much time you have and on road conditions that day, because the routes toward the coast are closed often in the rainy season. This guide gathers what the news outlets and guides we consulted say; schedules, prices and road status change, so confirm everything before you leave.

By plane

Cuenca’s airport is Mariscal Lamar (code CUE). According to Wikipedia, it sits at 2,532 m, has a 1,900 m runway and is located “in the middle of the city,” which the same source describes as a major handicap.

• Airlines: Primicias reported in May 2024 that Latam, Avianca and Aeroregional offered scheduled connections from Cuenca to Quito and Guayaquil. In July 2026, Primicias names Avianca and Latam as the airlines with domestic flights from Quito and Cuenca. Frequencies and which airline covers each route change: check each airline’s website.
• Prices: we don’t give a fixed reference. As a dated data point, Primicias (July 8, 2026) quoted round-trip fares, for five-day trips departing from July 13, of USD 178 to 215 for Cuenca–Quito and USD 113 to 230 for Cuenca–Guayaquil. Prices vary by date and how far ahead you book.
• Weather: on August 23, 2023, according to Primicias, the airport suspended operations because of bad weather and two flights from Quito turned back without landing. If you have an important connection, leave some margin.

Current flight durations are listed on each airline’s website.

By bus from Quito

Rome2rio estimates about 8 hours on average for the direct bus from Quito’s Quitumbe terminal to Cuenca. A Frommer’s guide (no visible edition date) gives 8 to 10 hours, with departures at least hourly, and names Flota Imbabura and Cooperativa Express Sucre as the main companies. Rome2rio also shows departures from Carcelén. Since real times depend on the route and traffic, treat these as a rough guide.

By bus from Guayaquil

According to Frommer’s (no visible date), buses leave Guayaquil’s main terminal roughly every half hour and alternate between two routes: via Cajas (about 4 hours) or via Cañar (about 5 hours). Diario Expreso (March 18, 2026) gives similar figures: about 3.5 hours on the Cuenca–Molleturo–El Empalme road and about 5 hours on the El Triunfo–Cochancay–Zhud alternative.

By car

• From Quito: Rome2rio estimates about 6 hours 40 minutes of driving, not counting stops, traffic or closures. The same page gives distances that don’t agree with each other, so we don’t quote them.
• From Guayaquil: there are three routes according to Diario Expreso (March 2026):
  1. Cuenca–Molleturo–El Empalme, the most used, about 3.5 hours. Travel guides sometimes call it the “Cajas route,” since it crosses the high zone. Expreso describes it as in poor condition for months, with stretches closed by landslides.
  2. El Triunfo–Cochancay–Zhud (toward Cuenca via El Tambo, Cañar and Azogues), about 5 hours, open with caution because of fog and wet pavement.
  3. Santa Rosa–Pasaje–Girón, longer (the outlet gives no figure), useful when the others are closed.

Road status: check before you go

The Cuenca–Molleturo–El Empalme road closes often. El Mercurio reported that on June 5, 2026 a landslide blocked kilometer 101, with a preventive closure expected until 5:00 p.m. and alternate routes via Cañar–Zhud–Cochancay or via Girón–Pasaje. Diario Expreso (March 2026) also reported a serious accident in the Marianza area.

Before you travel:

• Check local news or the traffic authorities’ channels the same day.
• If you’re driving, avoid the high zone at night or in fog.
• If you’re taking a bus, ask the company which route it will use and whether there are delays.

In short

• Plane: fastest, but subject to weather; prices vary.
• Bus from Quito: about 8 to 10 hours depending on the source.
• Bus from Guayaquil: about 4 to 5 hours depending on the route.
• Car from Guayaquil: three routes; the most used is also the one that has had landslide closures.
• Check schedules, prices and road status on the day you travel.