Want to know how to get from Baños to Cuenca (or indeed Cuenca to Baños) by bus? We’ve got you.
Ecuador has a very well-trodden backpacker trail, with Baños and Cuenca being popular stops on most itineraries - which may lead you to believe that getting between the two is relatively easy…
Unfortunately this is not the case, and almost all will lose the majority of the day negotiating the small roads that wind their way towards the Andes.
In this guide we’ve detailed the options for travellers wanted to get from Baños to Cuenca, including all connections.
Option One | Direct Bus from Baños to Cuenca
For many years (certainly the last time we took this route), there was no such thing as a direct bus between Baños and Cuenca. Thankfully this has now changed, and whilst departures are not abundant, you can at least settle in for the long ride and not have to worry about changing buses!
The bus will stop for a meal break along the way.
WHERE DOES THE BUS LEAVE FROM IN Baños?
Departures | Buses depart at 8.45 am, 4 pm, 10 pm from Baños Bus Station (maps)
Journey Time | Approximately 7.5 hours
Cost | $10 USD
Option Two | Baños to Cuenca via Ambato
Located just under an hour from Baños, changing buses in Ambato is a popular choice for many travellers trying to reach Cuenca. Although this route takes the same time - or longer - than the direct bus, it is a good option if you miss one of the infrequent direct departures.
Baños to Ambato
Departures | Multiples companies operate this route with departures every 15 minutes or so from Baños Bus Station (maps)
Journey Time | 1 hour
Cost | $2 USD
Ambato to Cuenca
There are two companies servicing this route: Express Sucre and Cooperativa de Transportes Santa.
Departures | Departures every 2 hours
Journey Time | Approximately 7 hours
Cost | $11 - 14 USD
Option Three | Baños to Cuenca via Riobamba
Whilst there are buses from Cuenca to Riobamba approximately every half hour, the frustrating issue with this route is that the vast majority of connecting buses to Cuenca don’t actually leave Riobamba’s main bus station (where you’ll get dropped off), rather you’ll have to make your way to an alternative bus stop. We will cover both options below.
Baños to Riobamba
Departures | Six departures per day from Baños Bus Station (maps)
Journey Time | 1.5 to 2 hours
Cost | $2 USD
Riobamba to Cuenca
Option One // The simplest option is hopping on the direct bus from Riobamba to Cuenca that departs from the main bus terminal (where you get dropped off). The issue is that there are very few departures per day, which is far from ideal on a travel day that is already going to be super long.
Departures | Online research has revealed a bus at 11 am and a further one at 1.50 pm but this may well have changed.
Journey Times | Around 5 hours
Cost | $8 USD
Option Two // If you have just missed a connecting bus, we’d recommend instead hopping in a taxi to the main road to connect with the Quito-Cuenca bus. Just ask your taxi driver to to drop you at Media Luna (or ‘la parada para Cuenca’). These buses are far more frequent! The taxi ride should take around 10 minutes and cost $2.
Departures | From Media Luna, there are departures every 15 minutes directly to Cuenca.
Journey Time | 5 hours
Cost | $8 USD
How to Get From Cuenca Bus Terminal to the City Centre
All buses terminate in Terminal Terrestre Cuenca (maps), a medium-sized bus station in the north-east of the city. From here you’ll need to take a short taxi ride (five minutes, $2) to the centre of Cuenca where you’ll likely be staying.
