Spoiler alert: when I was travelling in Peru this year, I took the public bus from Arequipa to Cusco overnight. However, I did have friends that flew from Arequipa to Cusco, and I also know people who did the trip from Arequipa to Cusco by private transfer with PeruHop, so although I haven’t tried and tested all of these routes in Peru myself, I am pretty well equipped to tell you about them.
If you’ve been sent here from my last article (How to get from Huacachina to Cusco), welcome! In that article I recommend taking the bus via Arequipa, partly because that’s how I did it, and partly because I did a lot of research before I went and, to me, it seems like the obvious way to travel.
There’s so much to see in Arequipa, why would you want to miss it out from your Peru itinerary?! Anyway, I digress. I travelled from Arequipa to Cusco by bus just a few days before I started the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu, so if you’re following along in real time, make sure you stay tuned for those articles. Despite everything that went wrong on that hike, I have to say it was one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life and only fuelled my love of hiking.
Here are three ways to get from Arequipa to Cusco, starting with taking the public bus.
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How to Get from Arequipa to Cusco by Public Bus
The public bus from Arequipa to Cusco takes around 10-11 hours, which, in my opinion, is the perfect length for a night bus. I got on the bus at around 10pm, watched a movie on my phone, went to sleep, and at 8 o’clock the next morning I woke up in Cusco. Easy, right? It might not sound so easy if you’re not accustomed to taking the overnight bus, but I promise you they are comfortable, especially if you take an upgraded seat (which I had fully committed to doing on every bus by this point in my trip).
I had (incorrectly, apparently) thought that you can also take the public bus from Arequipa to Cusco during the daytime, but after researching it from this article, I don’t see any bus tickets during the day that are available to buy online.
It is very possible that you can get the day bus by buying your ticket at the bus station in Arequipa, as visiting the local bus stations in Peru (and in South America in general) will always get you the biggest range of options and the lowest priced bus ticket. However, I tended to book online because, although it was a dollar or two more expensive, it meant I didn’t have to trek to the bus station in the days before my journey. The bus station is usually not in the city centre, and I liked to book at least a few hours in advance to make sure I got a spot on the bus I wanted.
Anway, if you do want to book online, it seems that the overnight bus is the only option. Which, I have to stress again, is a great idea! In my opinion it’s the best way to travel long distances when you want to avoid taking the plane.
To summarise: my recommendation is to book online, which you can either do with BusBud, RedBus, or directly with the bus company (the most popular one in Peru is Cruz del Sur). The bus station in Arequipa is not a million miles away from the centre, but I took an Uber there, both to avoid the long walk with my backpack, and because it was dark, and I didn’t want to walk alone at night in Peru.
Your bus will most likely leave from Terminal Terrestre Arequipa, but be sure to check your ticket! The bus terminal is quite big, and there’s one building for buying your ticket and another building for departures. I ended up confused, wandering around the ticket building for a few minutes before I asked someone, and they sent me across the car park to the other building.
When I arrived in Cusco, the bus dropped me off here at the Cruz del Sur terminal, which is just a minute or two from the general bus station in Cusco. If you’re travelling with a different bus company, it will drop you off at the main bus station in Cusco.
🚌 Book your tickets with: Cruz del Sur
🚌 Book your tickets with: BusBud
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How to Get from Arequipa to Cusco with Private Transfer (Peru Hop)
Peru Hop is a hop-on-hop-off bus service that runs through Peru and Bolivia (that part is technically called Bolivia Hop, but it’s the same company). The idea is that you buy a long ticket for several journeys at once, for example Lima to Cusco, with several stops along the way. You buy it as a package deal, but you can take the buses whenever you like, stopping for as long as you like in each destination.
You can read my full review and experience of Peru Hop here, but the long and short of it is that I recommend it, if it sounds like your thing, but the public bus is also perfectly safe if you want to watch your wallet like I did.
Peru Hop have private coaches that are exclusively for their passengers, comfortable seats, and provide an easy travel experience with additional stops that you wouldn’t get to see taking the public bus. They pick you up and drop you off straight at your accommodation, and always have a guide on board.
I also messaged them asking if it would be possible to book just one journey with them, for the purposes of this article. They told me that they’ll always prioritise their customers who have complete tickets, but if there are seats available they would sell just one journey.
The important thing to note here is that their bus goes during the daytime, so it could be ideal for you if you’re really against taking the overnight bus.
It’s also a good way to meet other travellers; I made friends for life on Peru Hop buses.
Finally, not to overload you with information, but Peru Hop also have a route that goes via Lake Titicaca if you’re interested in making a stop there on your way to Cusco.
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How to Get from Arequipa to Cusco by Plane
Of course, the quickest way to get from Arequipa to Cusco is by flying. There are plenty of direct flights from Arequipa to Cusco with JetSmart and LATAM Airlines (both reputable South American airlines). The flight takes just 1 hour and costs as little as $30USD. However, when you’re looking at times and costs, don’t forget to factor in the time and money you’ll spend travelling to and from the Airport on either side.
Yes, there are cheap flights, but the additional expenses soon add up (especially when you end up spending money in the airport, like me).
Rodríguez Ballón International Airport (AQP) in Arequipa is around 30 minutes from the Plaza de Armas in the main city, and the Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport in Cusco is around 20 minutes from the city.