Getting from Lima to Arequipa is a fairly straightforward process, whether you travel by bus or by plane. Flying is obviously a much faster option, but the overland route is significantly cheaper.

Lima to Arequipa By Bus

Most of Peru’s major bus companies have daily departures from Lima to Arequipa and vice versa, including Cruz del Sur, Oltursa, Civa and TEPSA.

The bus trip takes about 15 or 16 hours, and will often include brief stops at various destinations along the route, including Ica, Nazca and Camaná.


Ticket prices typically range from S/.80 to S/.150 ($27 to $50) for standard semi-cama seats.

The coastal route along the Panamericana (Pan-American Highway) south of Lima is reasonably safe in comparison to other, more notorious roads in Peru. The highway is in relatively good condition and runs through long and largely predictable swathes of desert. As always, it’s worth traveling with the better known nationwide companies rather than the smaller, cheaper and often less reliable/responsible regional bus companies.

Buses in Lima leave from their respective company terminals. Most buses in Arequipa arrive at and depart from the Terminal Terrestre or Terrapuerto on Avenida Andres Avelino Caceres, located a couple of miles (about 3 km) from the city center. Some buses might leave from their own terminals, so always be sure to check your departure point.

Flying From Lima to Arequipa

Daily flights connect Lima’s Jorge Chávez International Airport with Rodríguez Ballón International Airport in Arequipa.

Three of the major domestic airlines in Peru -- LAN, Peruvian Airlines and Avianca (TACA) -- fly between Lima and Arequipa.

Ticket prices typically range from US$80 to $160, although you will find offers for less than this (often for residents only) and sometimes for much more.

The flight time between Lima and Arequipa is about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Arequipa’s airport is located to the northwest of the city, about 4.5 miles (7.3 km) from the Plaza de Armas.