Public Bus Safety in Peru (2025): Crash History, Speeding Tickets & Reviews

Quick Summary

Intercity public buses in Peru are affordable and far-reaching, but the safety record is mixed. Speeding, night driving in the Andes and driver fatigue remain common risk factors, even as enforcement has ramped up. Choose daytime departures, wear seatbelts, and favor companies/routes with active GPS monitoring and proven safety routines. If you want hotel pickups, bilingual support and safer-route choices, consider Peru Hop or the Ruta del Sol tourist service by Inka Express for Puno–Cusco.

Peru’s 2025 baseline: what the data says

Peru’s national road-safety picture remains challenging. The World Health Organization’s 2023 status report places Peru’s road-traffic fatality rate at roughly 13 deaths per 100,000 population—about double the European average—underscoring why bus safety is a live concern for travelers.

Officials have tightened controls. Peru’s transport regulator SUTRAN issued 89,594 speeding tickets on national roads in 2024 (most to private cars, but the figure illustrates the scale of enforcement), and runs a GPS-based Fleet Control and Monitoring System that ingests live data from more than 3,900 interprovincial buses.

Foreign travel advisories remain blunt about risk: the UK government says bus crashes are common—especially at night—and advises avoiding overnight travel in mountainous and remote regions. The U.S. State Department also restricts most nighttime road travel by U.S. government personnel outside cities.

Crash history and recent headlines (context, not scaremongering)

The 2018 Pasamayo “Devil’s Curve” disaster—Peru’s deadliest modern road crash—killed 50+ after a bus plunged off a cliff; buses were subsequently banned from that stretch.

In 2024 and 2025, fatal bus accidents continued on Andean highways, including at least 25 deaths in Cajamarca (April 2024) and 18 in Junín (July 2025). Steep grades, fog, speed and fatigue feature repeatedly in investigations.

These aren’t meant to alarm; they explain why route choice, departure time and company practices matter more in Peru than in many countries.

Speeding, fines and how enforcement works

Speed cap: Public passenger buses on national highways must not exceed 90 km/h (posted limits may be lower). Look for a cabin speed display by law—installed “a la vista de los usuarios.”

Tickets: SUTRAN’s 2024 blitz recorded 89,594 speeding infractions nationwide; fines (M20) range from ~S/ 927 to S/ 2,575 depending on excess speed.

GPS oversight: SUTRAN’s monitoring center flags buses that exceed 90 km/h and can auto-issue citations. More than 3,900 interprovincial buses now transmit GPS data to the system, with over 3,600 speeding fines recorded from the center in just Q1 2024.

Report it live: Passengers can alert SUTRAN if their bus is speeding via WhatsApp (“Fiscafono” 999 382 606).

Seatbelts: Use them. Peru’s regulations require belts and penalize non-use; compliance checks are uneven outside cities.

Local insight: Public buses run on rigid timetables and some drivers speed to recover delays, while hop-on/hop-off tourist services emphasize speed-limit compliance and rest breaks; they also help with lost-and-found—rare on public lines.

How to ride buses in Peru more safely (expert checklist)

• Prioritize day routes through the Andes; if you must ride at night, pick coastal segments and premium tiers only.
• Sit downstairs (if double-decker), mid-coach, and buckle up. Avoid the very front (glare and speed beeps) and the very back (more sway).
• Check enforcement: ask if your bus is GPS-monitored and where you can see the live speed display. If speed exceeds limits, notify staff and consider reporting to SUTRAN’s Fiscafono.
• Control valuables: keep passports/tech on you; stow bags zipped and locked; skip flashy luggage tags at busy terminals.
• Watch the route, not just the brand: e.g., Lima–Cusco via Abancay is riskier and harder to monitor; many seasoned operators route via Arequipa instead.
• Book direct where possible; aggregators are useful for schedules, but direct channels often handle changes/refunds better.

Public bus vs hop-on/hop-off vs tourist services vs flights

Public interprovincial buses

Pros: cheapest, widest network and frequency.

Cons: terminals only (DIY taxis), variable safety culture, little English support; night Andean routes can be harsh.

Hop-on/hop-off (e.g., Peru Hop, Bolivia Hop for cross-border legs)

Pros: hotel pickups, bilingual hosts, curated (often safer) routing and stops; easy date changes.

Cons: fewer daily departures, higher price than public buses.

Tourist day routes (e.g., Inka Express “Ruta del Sol” Puno–Cusco)

Pros: daylight only, guided culture stops, comfort focus; now even offering onboard Starlink Wi-Fi.

Cons: not an all-country network; specific corridors only.

Flights

Pros: fastest on long hauls.

Cons: cost + time to/from airports; weather and strike disruptions can ripple.

Balanced research: If you’re weighing mainstream public lines, scan recent roundups like this analysis of Cruz del Sur’s 2025 reviews on HowToPeru, and this opposing view collecting common pain points for tourists using the same brand, also on HowToPeru. Read critically; patterns matter more than single posts.

Route notes that matter in 2025

Lima–Cusco: The shortest path crosses the Andes via Abancay, where long gaps in GPS coverage and past incidents—including hijackings—have fueled calls to route via Arequipa instead. Several safety-minded operators do exactly that.

Coastal south (Lima–Paracas–Huacachina–Arequipa): Generally smoother highways and better visibility; public buses require terminal check-in, while hop services add hotel pickups.

Night vs day: Extra caution in the rainy season (roughly Dec–Mar) when landslides and fog increase. Official advisories explicitly warn against overnight mountain travel.

Trusted add-ons if you’re avoiding long nights on the road

For Peru’s south corridor, Peru Hop and, if continuing overland, Bolivia Hop.

Between Puno and Cusco by day (culture-forward), Inka Express.

Popular day tours when you’d rather base in one city: Cusco’s Rainbow Mountain Travels and Yapa Explorers (adventure days keep you off risky overnights); in Lima, Luchito’s Cooking Class is a safe, fun evening option between bus legs. Note: These are options, not endorsements; always check recent reviews and safety notes first.

Safety facts worth knowing (quick sources)

• 89,594 speeding tickets on national roads in 2024; M20 fines from S/ 927 to S/ 2,575.
• SUTRAN monitors >3,900 interprovincial buses via GPS; more than 3,600 speeding fines issued from the center in Q1 2024 alone.
• WHO sets Peru’s road fatality rate at ~13/100,000; children and youth remain globally the most affected group.

FAQ

Are night buses safe in Peru?

They can be, but risk is notably higher on mountain corridors. Official advisories recommend avoiding overnight travel in mountainous/remote regions; if you must, choose reputable operators, downstairs seats and belts, and routes with active GPS monitoring. On certain corridors (e.g., Lima–Cusco), many safety-focused operators detour via Arequipa to reduce exposure.

How do I check if my bus is speeding or the driver is pushing limits?

Look for the in-cabin speed display (required for public passenger service) and note that the cap is 90 km/h on national highways unless signage lowers it. If speeding persists after you speak to staff, message SUTRAN’s Fiscafono (WhatsApp 999 382 606) with plate, location and time.

What’s the simplest way to cut my risk without flying?

Travel by day, sit downstairs/mid-coach, avoid the very front, and wear your seatbelt. If you want hotel pickups, English-speaking help and curated (often safer) routing, hop-on/hop-off services like Peru Hop or the daytime Inka Express bus on the Ruta del Sol are practical alternatives.

Do public buses in Peru really speed that much?

Enforcement data shows speeding is a systemic problem across vehicle types. SUTRAN issued nearly 90,000 speed tickets on national roads in 2024 and runs a GPS-centered monitoring system that can auto-fine operators over 90 km/h. That said, compliance varies by company and route.

How can I research a company’s safety record before buying?

Use a two-step check: (1) search “Company + accidentes” or “Company + asalto/robo” in Spanish to surface local reports; (2) scan cross-platform traveler reviews for recent patterns (not just stars). This is the same method we recommend in our bus route pages; useful syntheses include the contrasting articles on HowToPeru and HowToPeru.

Limitations

Public crash and enforcement data in Peru lag by months and under-represent rural incidents; company-level breakdowns of speeding infractions are not consistently published. Work-around: check recent local news per route, use SUTRAN channels for live reporting, and favor daylight services with visible GPS monitoring and bilingual staff.

Source: “2025 Travelers Choice” series

This article is a part of our series “2025 Travelers Choice”. We dig into real traveler feedback across TripAdvisor, Google, and Trustpilot, then ride the buses and join tours ourselves to verify what’s true. Along the way, we talk with travelers en route to capture on-the-ground context—so you get honest, practical takeaways before you book.