Quito Airport Transfers

Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) is the main gateway to Ecuador. It is located 43 km from the historic center of Quito and the transfer can take between 40 and 60 minutes.

Since it is one of the largest and busiest airports in South America, you should plan in advance how you are going to make the transfers, for example, booking the transfer by private transport or assessing the different options offered by the bus.

This private transfer service allows you to escape the endless cab queues and waiting at bus stations.

Instead, a professional driver will wait for you at the gates of the Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) with a sign with your name on it to take you directly to your destination in Quito.

There are three alternatives for private transportation from Quito airport. Let's see what they are.

Transfer by private car or minivan

When you book your Quito airport transfer you are guaranteed a comfortable ride and personalized attention. It lasts approximately 50 minutes to the main hotels in the city and the driver is responsible for helping you with your luggage and even provide tips for the best vacation in Quito and its surroundings.

Another of the benefits of this alternative is the monitoring service of your flight. From the moment you arrive, they wait up to 90 minutes for you to leave the airport. Also, in case of any inconvenience, you can let them know via WhatsApp to the number that will appear with the confirmation of your reservation.

Details of interest

• Duration of the trip: 40 - 50 minutes.
• Price: from 19 € per person.
• Advantages of using this method: it is the fastest, safest and with personalized attention. They offer the best price for private transfers.
• How to book this transportation: you can book the transfers from/to Quito airport online.
• Recommended if: you are interested in safety, comfort, personalized attention and reasonable prices.

With private shuttle

Another alternative is to use the service of GO 4 Shuttle, a company with presence in Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. They offer a safe transfer that has the support of the main hotels, hostels and Airbnb in Quito. To use this service, you will need to book online in advance.

This type of transfer operates 24 hours a day. The drivers are waiting for you with comfortable minivans. In addition, you can take your small children with you in a stroller or stroller, child seats or car seats are available.

Pets are also accepted and if your flight has any kind of inconvenience, you can always keep in touch with them at the number that will appear on your reservation receipt.

Details of interest

• Duration of the trip: 45 - 60 minutes.
• Price: from 24 € per person.
• Advantages of using this method: you travel comfortably and safely.
• How to book this transport: through their website.
• Recommended if: you are traveling in a group or family and want a reliable and safe service.

With the tourist bus

With the tourist bus line you can follow some of the best city tours in Quito and you can also start your adventure in this South American capital from the airport with the transfer or shuttle service. Amenities include USB charger and comfortable seats.

The tourist bus line uses cars, minibuses and buses, depending on the number of passengers you have booked. One of the particularities of this service is that, despite being part of the tourist bus line, they offer discounts for the number of passengers in the reservation. Also, unlike the airport shuttles, the service is private, reserved for you and your group. In addition, the units have GPS service installed.

Interesting details

• Duration of the trip: 40 - 50 minutes.
• Price: from 31 € per person for individual bookings.
• Advantages of using this method: you get discounts when traveling in groups.
• How to book this transport: visit the Quito tourist bus website.
• Recommended if: your accommodation is located in the areas: the Historic Center, La Mariscal, La Floresta, La Carolina or Bellavista, as these are the main areas covered by the service.

In parts of South America, shared transfers are not as common or even non-existent.

One of the few options that do exist is Go Girl Drivers EC, a female-focused cab service that takes you all over Quito including Mariscal Sucre International Airport.

The service, by women for women, operates 24 hours a day, so they will pick you up at the airport in a car, at the agreed time. In case there is another passenger that coincides with the time and date of your reservation, it will be shared. Of course, you must book your transfer at least one hour in advance.

Details of interest

• Duration of the trip: 40 - 60 minutes.
• Price: from 20 € per person.
• Advantages of using this method: you can reduce your fares by sharing it with other people.
• How to book this transport: via WhatsApp.
• Recommended if: you want to travel safely and with a reliable service from the airport.

In Quito the bus is the most popular transportation system because of its low fares. Best of all, they offer several modes of transportation to suit all tastes. However, this money saving in some cases turns into more time in the transfer.

This option is ideal for those who visit Quito in 3 days or more and have enough time to get to know the surroundings.

AeroServicios is the name of the official transportation service offered by the Quito airport.

The company uses large buses to transfer you to your accommodation or as close as possible to it, covering 22 main zones and 3 special zones with pre-established rates according to your destination in the city of Quito.

The service is available from 05:00 to 22:00 hours, with frequencies every 30 minutes. To include your hotel in the route, you must request this service at the airport at least one hour before departure or write in advance on their website.

Details of interest

• Duration of the trip: from 60.
• Price: from 10 € per person.
• Advantages of using this method: it is a door to door service at the best cost.
• How to book this transportation: through their WhatsApp web service.
• Recommended if: you are not in a hurry when traveling to Quito as this is a shared service. Fortunately the schedules mentioned on the page are usually respected and the frequencies are approximately every 90 minutes.

The other alternative you have with this means are public buses, the cheapest option but not necessarily the safest or most comfortable of all. The schedules, frequency and the bus company that offers the service vary according to the terminal you are going to.

• If you are going to Terminal Río Coca, buses operated by Sotranor are available from 06:00 to 22:05 hours.
• If you are going to Terminal Quitumbe, the operator Cosibo has buses available from 05:50 to 20:25.
• On the other hand, if your destination is the Carcelén Terminal, the OperNorte consortium offers buses from 06:05 to 20:30.

Then you can connect with the Metropolitan Transport System Trolleybus to go to the center of the city.

Details of interest

• Travel time: more than 60 minutes.
• Price: from 2 € per person.
• Advantages of using this method: it is the cheapest of all.
• How to book this transport: no reservations apply, just go to the corresponding terminal and wait for the bus.
• Recommended if: you are not in a hurry and in general if you are traveling accompanied.

Despite the availability of other transportation options, many tourists still prefer to use cabs to get from Quito Airport to the city center due to their popularity in other countries.

This means of transportation is convenient because of its 24-hour availability. However, I must be honest: this is not the option I recommend in Quito. The reason? The ways that many cab drivers have to charge more money to travelers. With them a service can go from 25 € to 35 € and it is not necessarily due to traffic.

Certainly the arrival of the taximeters helped to decrease the dishonest practices of the yellow cab drivers, but certain activities still persist that maintain their bad reputation. Even so, in case you require the use of this means, I recommend you to use an application such as UBER. With them the fares are still pre-established as in all cities and the service maintains its safety standards.

Details of interest

• Duration of the trip: 45 - 50 minutes.
• Price: from 25 € per person.
• Advantages of using this method: immediacy.
• How to book this transport: no reservation is required in advance.
• Recommended if: you need to move quickly and you have no other alternative.

If you are an adventurer looking for a convenient, safe and flexible way to get from Mariscal Sucre International Airport to Quito, consider renting a car.

One of the main advantages is the flexibility of having your own vehicle. You can explore Quito and its surroundings at your own pace, without depending on public transportation or the schedules of other services. In addition, renting a car allows you to access remote areas and discover places off the beaten tourist track, so you can explore the heart of Quito from its roots.

As for rental alternatives, there is a wide range of opportunities at your disposal:

• Europcar one of the companies best rated by travelers.
• Sixt.
• Budget.

Details of interest

• Duration of the trip: 40-50 minutes.
• Price: from 35 € per day.
• Advantages of using this method: it allows you to have more control of your itinerary.
• How to book this transportation: you can do it online by visiting one of the above mentioned websites or rent the car directly at the airport.
• Recommended if: your trip to Quito is longer than 5 days and you prefer to explore the surroundings at your own pace.