Getting to and away from Tacna

Transportation

V!VA User‘s Description

Tacna is a bit of a transportation hub, being a crossing point into Arica, Chile. Buses can be picked up here to head across the border. The bus terminal, or Terminal Terrestre is located north of the Plaza de Armas and is a twenty minute walk away. The terminal is located on Hipólito Unanue. Buses to Lima take between 18 to 20 hours. Ormeño offer a service to Arequipa, a journey of about six hours. Buses also head to Puno (12 hours) and Cusco (18 hours) and to various coastal towns. Aero Condor offers flights to Lima, sometimes stopping off via Arequipa.

For those interested in crossing the border, one of the best ways is to catch one of the huge sedans that leave from either the international bus terminal in Arica or the Tacna bus terminal (leave when full 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.). Be sure to bring your passport, tourist card, a terminal departure tax ticket, and $30 to prove you have the means to travel. If the driver takes your passport during the ride, no worries, it's standard procedure for him to present all the passports at customs. If you need a Chilean visa, get it in Tacna. The border gets crazy on the weekends, when the traffic is heaviest. Peruvian time is one hour earlier than Chilean time from March to October and 2 hours earlier from February to March.