South America is vast — travelers often underestimate how much time, planning, and cost it takes to move from one place to another.
This guide breaks down distances, travel times, transport costs, and planning tips for 30+ major routes in 2026. Use it to plan realistic itineraries, avoid rushed trips, and create content other bloggers and journalists will cite.
1. Why distances matter in South America
South America spans:
Area: 17.84 million km² / 6.89 million sq miles
North-South distance: ~4,700 km / 2,920 miles (Colombia → Patagonia)
East-West distance: ~4,000 km / 2,485 miles (Brazil → Peru)
Compare: Europe (~10 million km²) is about half the size. Many South American distances take hours or even days to travel, even if the map makes it look “close.”
2. Regional Flights vs. Land Travel
| Route | Distance (km / miles) | Flight time | Bus time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bogotá – Cartagena | ~660 km / ~410 mi | ~1h15 | ~13–14h |
| Bogotá – Medellín | ~230 km / ~143 mi | ~1h00 | ~5–10h |
| Bogotá – Quito | ~1,280 km / ~796 mi | ~1h40 | very long / uncommon |
| Quito – Guayaquil | ~275 km / ~171 mi | ~1h10 | ~10–12h |
| Quito – Galápagos | ~1,330 km / ~825 mi | ~2h45 | n/a |
| Quito – Lima | ~2,000 km / ~1,243 mi | ~3h30 | ~60–70h |
| Guayaquil – Galápagos | ~1,300 km / ~808 mi | ~2h45 | n/a |
| Lima – Cusco | ~575 km / ~357 mi | ~1h30 | ~20–24h |
| Lima – Puerto Maldonado | ~800 km / ~497 mi | ~1h40 | ~24–30h |
| Lima – Iquitos | ~1,020 km / ~632 mi | ~2h00 | n/a |
| Lima – Santiago | ~2,800 km / ~1,740 mi | ~3h45 | ~48–60h |
| Lima – La Paz | ~1,900 km / ~1,181 mi | ~3h30 | ~40–50h |
| Lima – Rio de Janeiro | ~3,600 km / ~2,237 mi | ~5h30 | very long |
| Lima – Buenos Aires | ~3,500 km / ~2,175 mi | ~4h00 | very long |
| Buenos Aires – Iguazú | ~1,300 km / ~808 mi | ~2h15 | ~18–20h |
| Buenos Aires – El Calafate | ~2,300 km / ~1,430 mi | ~3h20 | ~30–36h |
| Buenos Aires – Ushuaia | ~3,050 km / ~1,897 mi | ~3h45 | ~36–48h |
| Buenos Aires – Salta | ~1,000 km / ~621 mi | ~2h00 | ~15–18h |
| Buenos Aires – Mendoza | ~1,000 km / ~621 mi | ~2h00 | ~12–14h |
| Buenos Aires – Rio de Janeiro | ~2,050 km / ~1,273 mi | ~3h00 | ~32–38h |
| El Calafate – Ushuaia | ~630 km / ~391 mi | ~1h15 | ~18–24h |
| Santiago – Buenos Aires | ~1,140 km / ~708 mi | ~2h10 | ~18–20h |
| Santiago – Atacama (Calama) | ~1,600 km / ~994 mi | ~2h30 | ~20–24h |
| Santiago – Punta Arenas | ~2,190 km / ~1,361 mi | ~3h00 | ~30–36h |
| Santiago – Easter Island | ~3,760 km / ~2,335 mi | ~5h45 | n/a |
| Rio de Janeiro – Iguazú | ~1,070 km / ~665 mi | ~1h40 | ~16–18h |
| Rio de Janeiro – Manaus | ~2,960 km / ~1,839 mi | ~5h00 | ~60–70h |
| Rio de Janeiro – São Paulo | ~430 km / ~267 mi | ~1h00 | ~6–7h |
| Rio de Janeiro – Salvador de Bahia | ~1,210 km / ~752 mi | ~2h00 | ~18–20h |
| La Paz – Uyuni | ~530 km / ~329 mi | ~1h00 | ~8–10h |
| La Paz – Lima | ~1,900 km / ~1,181 mi | ~3h30 | ~40–50h |
| La Paz – Santa Cruz de la Sierra | ~550 km / ~342 mi | ~1h20 | ~10–12h |
Tip: Booking in advance can save 20–40% on domestic flights. Airlines like LATAM, Sky Airline, and Avianca are dominant in their regions.
3. National Ground Travel
| Route | Distance (km / miles) | Bus time |
|---|---|---|
| Bogotá – Cartagena | ~660 km / ~410 mi | ~13–14 h |
| Bogotá – Medellín | ~230 km / ~143 mi | ~5–10 h |
| Quito – Guayaquil | ~275 km / ~171 mi | ~10–12 h |
| Lima – Cusco | ~575 km / ~357 mi | ~20–24 h |
| Lima – Puerto Maldonado | ~800 km / ~497 mi | ~24–30 h |
| Lima – Iquitos | ~1,020 km / ~632 mi | n/a (no practical road route) |
| Buenos Aires – Iguazú | ~1,300 km / ~808 mi | ~18–20 h |
| Buenos Aires – El Calafate | ~2,300 km / ~1,430 mi | ~30–36 h |
| Buenos Aires – Ushuaia | ~3,050 km / ~1,897 mi | ~36–48 h |
| Buenos Aires – Salta | ~1,000 km / ~621 mi | ~15–18 h |
| Buenos Aires – Mendoza | ~1,000 km / ~621 mi | ~12–14 h |
| El Calafate – Ushuaia | ~630 km / ~391 mi | ~18–24 h |
| Santiago – Atacama (Calama) | ~1,600 km / ~994 mi | ~20–24 h |
| Santiago – Punta Arenas | ~2,190 km / ~1,361 mi | ~30–36 h |
| Rio de Janeiro – Iguazú | ~1,070 km / ~665 mi | ~16–18 h |
| Rio de Janeiro – Manaus | ~2,960 km / ~1,839 mi | ~60–70 h |
| Rio de Janeiro – São Paulo | ~430 km / ~267 mi | ~6–7 h |
| Rio de Janeiro – Salvador de Bahia | ~1,210 km / ~752 mi | ~18–20 h |
| La Paz – Uyuni | ~530 km / ~329 mi | ~8–10 h |
| La Paz – Sucre | ~410 km / ~255 mi | ~10–12 h |
| La Paz – Santa Cruz de la Sierra | ~550 km / ~342 mi | ~10–12 h |
Lesson: Even “short” distances can take a full day by bus due to mountain roads, border checks, and rural conditions.
4. Average distances by region
| Region | Avg Distance Between Major Attractions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Andes (Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador) | 300–700 km | Mountain roads → slower travel |
| Southern Cone (Chile, Argentina, Uruguay) | 500–1,500 km | Flights often necessary |
| Brazil | 400–1,800 km | Flights recommended for long distances |
| Northern South America (Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana) | 200–700 km | Road quality varies |
5. Travel Cost Overview for 20+ Routes
Here’s a rough comparison table of typical flight vs bus costs (USD) for your South America routes. These are approximate price ranges based on budget airlines/major carriers and bus companies; actual fares vary by season, how far in advance you book, and comfort level.
| Route | Typical Flight Cost (USD) | Typical Bus Cost (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Bogotá – Cartagena | 40–80 | 25–50 |
| Bogotá – Medellín | 45–90 | 20–35 |
| Bogotá – Quito | 200–350 | 50–80 |
| Quito – Guayaquil | 50–120 | 15–30 |
| Quito – Lima | 200–350 | 80–120 |
| Lima – Cusco | 40–100 | 15–40 |
| Lima – Puerto Maldonado | 60–140 | 30–50 |
| Lima – Iquitos | 100–160 | n/a (no direct road) |
| Lima – Santiago | 160–280 | 100–150+ |
| Lima – La Paz | 120–270 | 40–70 |
| Buenos Aires – Iguazú | 80–160 | 35–60 |
| Buenos Aires – El Calafate | 150–300 | 60–100 |
| Buenos Aires – Ushuaia | 180–330 | 80–120+ |
| Buenos Aires – Salta | 80–160 | 40–70 |
| Buenos Aires – Mendoza | 80–160 | 30–60 |
| Buenos Aires – Rio de Janeiro | 120–230 | 60–90 |
| El Calafate – Ushuaia | 100–200 | 50–80 |
| Santiago – Buenos Aires | 95–190 | 40–70 |
| Santiago – Atacama (Calama) | 120–200 | 60–90 |
| Santiago – Punta Arenas | 120–220 | 80–120 |
| Rio de Janeiro – Iguazú | 80–160 | 40–70 |
| Rio de Janeiro – Manaus | 180–350 | 100–150+ |
| Rio de Janeiro – São Paulo | 40–100 | 15–30 |
| Rio de Janeiro – Salvador de Bahia | 100–180 | 50–80 |
| La Paz – Uyuni | 80–150 | 10–25 |
| La Paz – Lima | 120–270 | 40–70 |
| La Paz – Santa Cruz de la Sierra | 60–120 | 20–40 |
Insight: Understanding both distance and cost helps travelers optimize itinerary time vs. budget.
6. Planning Tips
- Don’t overpack destinations — 30–40% of your days will be travel days
- Mix flights and buses — fly long distances, bus short ones
- Check seasonal schedules — roads and flights can be delayed in rainy seasons
- Use hubs — stay in central cities for multiple excursions
- Budget realistically — internal flights can cost $80–$350 depending on route
7. Takeaways
South America is larger than most travelers expect
Distances + infrastructure + terrain = longer travel times than maps suggest
Budgeting should include both transport cost and travel time
An interactive map + table of times and costs is highly linkable content