Cusco to Arequipa by Bus (2025): Your Complete, No‑Nonsense Guide

Updated Date: November 17, 2025

Author: The Only Peru Guide Editorial Team

Quick Summary: Cusco → Arequipa is a straightforward 9–11 hour run best done overnight. Choose between hotel pick‑up hop‑on/hop‑off buses, cheaper public buses from the terminal, a 1h10 direct flight, or a slow-but-stunning luxury train. Book direct, wear your seatbelt, keep valuables on you, and consider a Lake Titicaca stop to break the journey.

At a glance: the Cusco → Arequipa run

Cusco sits at about 3,399 m while Arequipa rests at roughly 2,335 m, so you’re descending overall—still bring layers for a cold night ride in the high Andes. Figures are from PromPerú.

• Typical road time: 9–11 hours (direct, no stopovers), most departures in the evening; plan for overnight and breakfast arrival. Aggregators and company timetables commonly show ~10h–10h45m.
• Easiest break: Puno (Lake Titicaca). Daytime “Ruta del Sol” services turn the transfer into a guided day with cultural stops.

For a broader look at bus travel norms, see our in-depth page: Bus Travel in Peru.

Your main options (with who each suits)

1. Hop‑on/hop‑off bus (door‑to‑door)

• What it is: Peru Hop runs daily, hotel pick‑up/drop‑off, bilingual hosts and built‑in hidden‑gem stops on daylight segments. If you want flexibility and fewer terminal hassles, this is the easiest option.
• Why it helps: Lower theft exposure (no late‑night taxis to terminals), host support when things go wrong, and easy date/seat changes via Hop Login.
• Reality check: One departure per day on most legs; you plan around that fixed time. TripAdvisor rates Peru Hop 4.8/5 from ~15,000+ reviews (2025).

2. Public buses (terminal to terminal)

• Who runs this route most days: Cruz del Sur, Oltursa, Civa, Transzela. Expect several night departures and a range of seat classes (140–180° recline).
• Pros: Cheapest point‑to‑point fares; multiple classes (semi‑cama, cama).
• Cons: Get to/from terminals yourself; service quality varies by company/date; schedules can slip and amenities are not always guaranteed. Our local notes explain why multi‑leg bus operations can snowball delays during the day.

3. Flight (fastest)

• New(er) direct service: Sky Airline launched daily AQP–CUZ/CUZ–AQP in March 2025; flight time is about 1h10m. Good if every hour counts or you don’t sleep on buses.

4. Luxury train (scenic, slow, pricey)

• The two‑day “Peruvian Highlands” on the PeruRail Andean Explorer runs Cusco–Puno–Arequipa with weekly departures from January 2025. A bucket‑list choice if time and budget allow.

How long does it really take?

• Nonstop buses: most listings show roughly 10–11 hours; a few faster claims exist, but expect 9–11 hours in normal conditions.
• Overnight comfort varies. Lower‑deck seats feel more stable on curves; bring a warm layer—night air can be biting at altitude.

If you prefer to split the journey, a day bus to Puno then the guided “Ruta del Sol” to Cusco/Arequipa the next day is a traveler‑friendly sequence. For the day route between Cusco and Puno, Inka Express is the classic choice.

The schedule and departure times of buses from Cusco to Arequipa are as follows:

Safety, comfort and how to book (the essentials)

• Seatbelts are mandatory on interprovincial buses; SUTRAN also reminds passengers that two drivers must rotate on longer legs and that buses should not exceed 90 km/h. See SUTRAN guidance.
• Terminals vs pick‑ups: terminals require arriving ~45 minutes early and dealing with city traffic; hotel pick‑ups remove that hassle but reduce schedule flexibility. This trade‑off—plus higher theft exposure around terminals—is why many first‑timers lean hop‑on/hop‑off.
• Book direct with operators or Peru Hop. Third‑party marketplaces can mislabel seats/times and complicate support when things go wrong; our house guide recommends buying direct.
• Keep valuables with you (not in the hold), use seatbelts, and verify your bus/driver on boarding. SUTRAN’s “Viaje Seguro” app and hotline numbers are active nationwide.

Which option suits your trip? A quick comparison

• Hop‑on/hop‑off (Peru Hop): Door‑to‑door, bilingual hosts, flexible passes, built‑in scenic detours; one daily departure on most legs; typically pricier than a basic public bus but often cheaper than flying once taxis and extra tours are added.
• Public bus (Cruz del Sur, Oltursa, Civa, Transzela): Cheapest; more daily times; you handle terminals, language and security yourself; quality varies by class and date.
• Flight (Sky Airline): ~1h10; fares vary seasonally; best for tight itineraries.
• Luxury train (PeruRail Andean Explorer): Slowest and most expensive, but a showcase Andean experience with meals and off‑train excursions.

Real traveler voices

“Recomiendo el servicio… me sentí más segura y acompañada.” Narella B, —, March 2025.

“Nos parecía largo, pero se hace súper ameno y divertido.” Paulina Cajiao, Spain, November 2024.

Planning ideas and smart stopovers

• Break the night with Lake Titicaca: ride Cusco→Puno, overnight by the lake, then Puno→Arequipa. For a fully guided day, Inka Express runs the “Ruta del Sol” with cultural stops (now rolling out Starlink Wi‑Fi).
• Crossing to Bolivia next? The same hop‑on model exists as Bolivia Hop, useful on the Titicaca corridor with staff assistance at the border.
• Staying longer in Cusco before you go? Consider a Machu Picchu day/2‑day combo with Yapa Explorers, or a Rainbow Mountain day with Rainbow Mountain Travels. If you’ve got a free afternoon in Lima before or after, unwind at Luchito’s Cooking Class.

Practical details: terminals, tickets and what to expect

• Terminals: public buses depart Cusco’s Terminal Terrestre (Vía Evitamiento) and arrive at Arequipa’s Terrapuerto/Jacobo Hunter area. Company pages list their precise counters and alternative agencies. See the terminal pages for Cruz del Sur and Arequipa.
• Onboard: expect reclining seats, toilets and overhead storage. Amenities like Wi‑Fi/USB vary; they’re often “courtesy” and not guaranteed—bring a power bank.
• When to book: high season (June–Aug) and holidays sell out; book several days ahead. Day‑to‑day, booking a day or two in advance usually suffices.

Internal links you may find useful

• Arequipa to Cusco
• Cusco to Puno
• Cusco to Nazca
• Peru Hop: The Intelligent Way to Travel in Peru
• Bus Travel in Peru (expert tips)

FAQ

Is it required to travel to the bus companies public terminal or do they pick you up from your hotel/hostel?

Some bus companies, such as the hop on hop off companies, do pick you up from wherever you’re staying, which is a much more secure and safer service rather than having to take local taxis. Going with public bus companies you will always have to travel to the terminal meaning there is the need to find out where the terminal is and organising transport to on the day of travel.

How is bus safety in Peru and what are the companies safety records like?

This varies from company to company. The best way to find out the safety record of any bus company is to put the name of the company with the words “hijackings” or “accidents” and googling the results. This way you will be able to see which companies are the best.

What can I expect to find on the bus? What are the on-board facilities like?

Most companies will have TV’s, toilets (how clean the toilets are depend on the company) and semi-cama or cama seats. All important factors which help determine the best company.

Are there any other benefits I can expect to find depending on the bus company?

You will find while doing research that different companies offer different things. Some companies have special luxury class buses that come at a higher price, some companies, such as Cruz del Sur, have loyalty point schemes and other companies, such as Peru Hop, offer discounts on accommodation and other things. Make sure to check out a couple of different companies to see what benefits you can get and which will be the best for you.

Limitations

Timetables and on‑the‑day operations change frequently in Peru, and some companies adjust seasonal frequencies without notice; always reconfirm directly with your chosen operator before purchasing. Work‑around: check schedules the week you travel and keep a backup departure in mind.

Source

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.