Pay around $2 to plug straight into Quito’s city buses
The public bus from Mariscal Sucre International Airport links you to Quito’s big urban terminals like Río Coca or Quitumbe for roughly $2, then you transfer into the city network on separate tickets that run a few cents each. World Travel Guide pegs the full airport-to-city ride at 90–120 minutes, which is noticeably slower than the Aeroservicios coach but dramatically cheaper.
Airport buses typically run to major hubs such as Río Coca in the north or Quitumbe in the south, where you then board the Trole or Metrobus lines. One Reddit user reported paying under $3 total to go airport → Río Coca → Trole with just a backpack, but also said it took almost two hours in light traffic. Expect standing room only during 07:00–09:00 and 17:00–19:00 peaks.
Tickets for the first leg from the airport usually cost about $2 as a single fare, as noted by Alternative Airlines, and you then tap or pay cash again when you enter Quito city buses or BRT. Each urban segment runs roughly $0.25–$0.35, paid at station gates on the Trole/Metrobus corridor or directly on some feeders. Keep small coins; drivers often don’t break $10 bills.
This option makes the most sense if you speak at least basic Spanish, carry one backpack-style bag under about 40 L, and already know your target area, like La Mariscal or Centro Histórico. Local commuters on r/Quito say they ride this combo daily but avoid big checked suitcases because narrow bus doors and packed aisles make boarding slow and awkward.
What regulars do: some frequent flyers bus from the airport to Río Coca, then jump straight to a rideshare or yellow taxi for the last 15–25 minutes into neighborhoods like La Floresta or La Carolina. Others stay fully on transit but time their landing to miss the evening rush, aiming for departures from the airport before about 16:30 or after 19:30.
Watch out for pickpockets on crowded legs, especially on the Trole and at terminals like Río Coca and Quitumbe; Reddit threads flag phones and wallets going missing during crush loads. One more thing: snap a photo of the route map at the first terminal and pre-load your path in Maps.me before boarding the city bus; it saves you from guessing at unfamiliar stop names in motion.
- Step 1: From arrivals at UIO, follow signs or ask for the public bus stop serving Quito urban terminals such as Río Coca or Quitumbe.
- Step 2: Pay around $2 in cash for the airport bus and ride 60–80 minutes to your chosen terminal, keeping your main bag in front of you.
- Step 3: At the terminal, identify the Trole/Metrobus or feeder bus heading toward your area (for example, Trole toward El Ejido for Centro/Mariscal).
- Step 4: Pay the new fare of roughly $0.25–$0.35 at the station gate or on board, then ride until the stop closest to your hotel or hostel.
- Step 5: From your final bus stop, walk the last 5–15 minutes or hail a short taxi if it’s late or you have gear you don’t want to carry through crowded sidewalks.