At 2am with two bags, Official Aeropuerto Taxi is easiest
Official Aeropuerto Taxi runs 24/7 from El Alto International Airport’s Terminal 1, with rides into La Paz usually taking 30–60 minutes depending on traffic and altitude headaches on the highway. Cars wait just outside arrivals, and multiple Reddit threads mention finding them even at 3am without a problem. This is the option for people who want to walk out, get in a marked car, and go.
Inside the arrivals hall, look for the official taxi counters before you exit customs; guides note you can pay there at a fixed rate instead of dealing with cash at the curb. Expect around 60–80 bolivianos for closer areas, and roughly 100–150 BOB for typical airport–to–central-hotel runs, with the higher band more common late at night. Pay in bolivianos if you can; change on USD notes at 2am is hit-or-miss.
Outside Terminal 1, you’ll see a line of white airport taxis with visible airport branding, which Reddit users call “reliable taxis readily available outside the airport.” Standard daytime fares into central La Paz sit in the 60–80 BOB zone, but travelers arriving around 3am report paying toward 100–150 BOB. Have the hotel name written down; many drivers know “Sopocachi,” “Centro,” or “San Miguel,” but an exact address avoids wrong turns on steep side streets.
Regulars either buy a fixed-fare slip at the arrivals counter or walk straight to the official taxi queue and agree the price before getting in; they skip random unmarked offers inside the terminal. For very late arrivals like 1–4am, some travelers on Bolivia forums book a hotel or agency transfer in advance at a set price, then fall back to Official Aeropuerto Taxi only if that plan fails. Both patterns avoid street-side haggling at 4,000 meters.
Watch out for late-night fare creep: Reddit comments flag higher prices after midnight and lingering worries about overcharging even with airport taxis, which is why the counter is so often recommended. Get the driver to repeat the fare in Spanish before you close the door, and confirm if the amount is “total, no por persona.” One last tip: screenshot your hotel on offline maps while still on airport Wi‑Fi so you can follow the route during the 30–60 minute ride.