Argentina to Bolivia: The Border Crossing
I'll be honest with you, I'm not the biggest fan of border crossings overland. Initially really hesitant as a solo traveller to cross into Bolivia from Argentina; however, I decided to give it a shot. If you're starting in Salta or one of the northern Argentinian towns in Jujuy, here's what you need to know when travelling to Tupiza, Bolivia.
Bus from Salta to La Quiaca
To get to the Argentinian border, you'll need to head towards La Quiaca, which you can do from Salta or one of the small towns en route.
Several companies operate the route, including Andesmar and Balut. You can also compare schedules on Plataforma10 or buy tickets directly at the station.
If you book online, check whether the company accepts mobile tickets or requires a printed copy, as this varies between operators.
La Quiaca isn't the nicest of towns to hang around in or stay overnight. My advice to you would be to get a bus that arrives early in the morning and leaves plenty of time to cross the border.
Border opening hours can change, so check before travelling, especially if you're planning an overnight bus.
I took the 00:30 bus leaving Salta, which was scheduled to arrive in La Quiaca at 7:55 am. Bizarrely, the bus arrived 1 hour 30 minutes early! Having arrived before the border had opened, I waited inside the bus shelter.
Handy tips:
1. If you do take the overnight bus (I travelled in September), it is absolutely FREEZING!! Wear plenty of layers!
2. You may need to tip the baggage man for putting your bag on the bus and taking it off.
Journey time: Approximately 6 hours.
Prices change regularly in Argentina, so check current fares when booking.
Walk or take a taxi to the border
If you really need to, you can take a taxi to the border.
On foot, it's around a 10-minute walk, although not very well sign-posted. When you get off the bus, you should see the taxis waiting on the right. Walk towards the taxis and turn right to walk down the hill. When you arrive at the petrol station, take a left, and you'll be at the border in a few minutes.
Handy tip: If in doubt, you're likely to see other travellers crossing the border too. It's not somewhere you really want to hang around in the early hours of the morning. As a solo traveller with limited Spanish at the time, I was glad to meet another traveller to cross the border with.
Crossing the border
Depending on what time of day you travel through the border, you may or may not be faced with queues.
Arriving when the border opened, I was stamped out of Argentina in a couple of minutes without having to wait. Travelling on a British passport, there was no exit fee; however, they did provide a paper receipt which I needed to keep for the Bolivian border.
Immigration procedures can vary, so always make sure you've been properly processed before leaving the immigration building. If you're given any paperwork, keep it somewhere safe until you've exited Bolivia.
You're now free to walk into Villazon!
Handy tip: We nearly walked straight past the Bolivian immigration building into Bolivia without getting our passports controlled. It's easy to do! Look out for the immigration building!
Walk to the bus stop or collective taxi station in Villazon
In Villazon, if you don't already have Bolivianos, you can change some money at one of the "cambio" (money exchange places). If you're changing USD, then be careful to bring crisp, brand new notes as they're really picky.
There are also a couple of cash machines; however, at the time I was there, neither was working. So best to bring a little cash to change until you get to Tupiza or your next stop.
The bus stop is straight up the road. As I arrived early in the morning, there weren't yet any buses to take, so I didn't inquire about the price to Tupiza.
A little further up the road, there are some collective taxis which will take around 5-8 passengers. A taxi took around 75-90 minutes to Tupiza. If you're looking to go straight to La Paz or Potosi, you'll find many options at the bus terminal or taxi stand.
Handy tip: The collective taxis won't leave until they've filled up the taxi. So check out a few before you make your decision.
Finally, arrive in Tupiza!
If I'm going to be honest, I had very few expectations for Tupiza and only expected to spend a night there. I actually ended up spending 2 nights in decent accommodation.
The main attraction of Tupiza is to do the Salt Flats tour; however, this little town has some really cool hikes you can do on your own and fresh markets selling every kind of fruit and vegetable. It's worth wandering around, especially with those mountains!!
Handy tip: Buy some freshly squeezed orange juice from one of the juice stands!
Was this border crossing difficult?
Looking back, it was much easier than I'd built it up in my head. The part I worried about most was arriving in La Quiaca before sunrise as a solo traveller. Once I reached the border, the process itself was surprisingly straightforward. If I had to do it again, I would probably look into a day bus to avoid the freezing temperatures!!
In total, it took 8.5 hours of travel time (I left Salta at 00:30 and arrived in Tupiza at around 9 am). I personally didn't feel the most comfortable in La Quiaca, and as with any border town, keep an eye on your belongings and avoid hanging around longer than necessary.
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