One thing neither of us had done much of before moving to Uruguay was use public transportation. In San Diego, the public transportation system is poor at best and everyone has a car. We’d hop in the car to go ½ mile to the store. That would never happen in Uruguay – at least not for us.
We tend to walk as much as we can. And, while we’re guilty of using taxis much more than the bus system (they’re just so cheap compared to the States!), we recognize how great the public transportation system is in Uruguay. In fact, on the corner where we live, the buses stop going in every direction.
You can get practically anywhere using the bus system. Whether you just want to go somewhere in Montevideo or take a long haul bus ride across the country, you’re sure to find a bus route to suit your travel needs. And some of the bus lines are even equipped with free Wi-Fi!
We’ve taken buses within Montevideo and to Colonia, Punta del Diablo and Pan de Azucar, and they have all been quite comfortable. You actually have more legroom than you do on an airplane (and you have a lot more flexibility on what you can bring on board).
There are two websites that we’ve found especially helpful for figuring out bus routes and schedules:
The first is Montevideo Bus. It’s a great tool. You simply mark your origin and your destination on the map and hit “Buscar Recorridos” and a list of route options will display for you on the left hand side of the page.
If you want to see more about the bus lines on a particular route, most of the bus companies have their own websites. Just Google the name of the bus company + Uruguay and you should find what you’re looking for.
The second website we’ve found helpful is the Tres Cruces website (Tres Cruces is the main bus terminal in Montevideo). This is where you’ll find routes and prices for the longer haul bus trips. Just click on “Horarios y destinos” and you can enter your origin and destination to get options for your trip.
One thing I wish this website offered was online sales, but they aren’t quite there yet. You’ll need to purchase your tickets either over the phone or in person at the Tres Cruces bus
station.
What has your experience been using the public transportation system in Uruguay?