Ica to Nazca by Bus: 2025 Route Guide

Updated Date: November 12, 2025

Author: The Only Peru Guide Editorial Team

Quick Summary: The Ica–Nazca run is a short, desert drive of roughly 2 hours along the Panamericana Sur—popular for day trips to the Nazca Lines. You can go with a national public bus (Cruz del Sur, Civa, Oltursa) or a hop-on hop-off service like Peru Hop. Public buses are cheap A-to-B; Peru Hop adds hotel pick-up, bilingual hosts and stops such as the Nazca Lines viewing tower. Build buffer time: posted public-bus schedules outside Lima can slip.

Route snapshot: why this leg matters

The Ica–Nazca section follows a straight coastal highway through the Ica desert and is commonly used to position for a Nazca Lines flyover or a quick stop at the roadside viewing tower. Typical road time is about 2 hours in daylight traffic. Public services on this corridor normally cost around US$20 one-way, while hop-on passes cost more but bundle extra stops and support.

The Lines themselves are globally protected: the UNESCO World Heritage Centre inscribed the Nazca and Palpa geoglyphs in 1994 (criteria i, iii, iv), about 400 km south of Lima. In June 2025, Peru’s government restored the full protected area after briefly reducing it, following international pushback—useful context if you’re reading headlines while planning.

Your two main ways to go

• Public buses (Cruz del Sur, Civa, Oltursa): Point-to-point services with ticketed seats from city terminals. Simple A-to-B in daylight. Expect terminal check-in, ID verification, and luggage weight rules (20 kg typical on national lines).
• Peru Hop hop-on hop-off: Hotel pick-up/drop-off in major stops, bilingual hosts, flexible dates on passes, extra viewpoints/mini-stops such as the Nazca tower. Designed for travelers rather than commuters.

Local tip: Public-bus times in Paracas/Ica/Nazca are often “referential” because the coach started in Lima; any early delay ripples down the line. Don’t plan a flight or tight tour window off a mid-route departure printed online.

The schedule and departure times of buses from Ica to Nazca are as follows:

How long does Ica–Nazca really take?

• Core drive time: ~2 hours in daylight (mornings are smoother; watch for afternoon heat haze and summer traffic).
• Add-ons that extend the day: ticketing lines at public terminals, luggage weighing, and intermediate pick-ups. Hop-on services add short, curated stops—good if you want context, not if you’re racing the clock.

Companies on this route (overview)

• Public: Cruz del Sur, Civa, Oltursa operate the corridor between Ica and Nazca; check current times directly and aim for a daytime seat on the right-hand side heading south (coastal views).
• Hop-on: Peru Hop includes hotel pick-up in Ica/Huacachina, bilingual hosts, and the Nazca Lines viewing tower on certain passes; it is widely used by first-time visitors for logistics and safety support.

Public buses vs Peru Hop: which fits you?

If you prioritize price and a quick A-to-B

• Choose public buses; buy direct from the operator to avoid 3rd‑party fees; arrive early for ID and baggage checks; keep valuables on you in transit.
• Watch punctuality: multi-leg routes can run 1–2 hours late leaving intermediate towns. Build slack before time-sensitive tours.

If you want door-to-door and traveler-focused support

• Choose Peru Hop for hotel pick-up, English/Spanish hosts (not formal guides) who share practical context, and proactive comms during strikes/closures. Tower and small local stops add value if you like curated breaks.

What travelers say:

• “Peru hop communicated very effectively and put on extra busses back to Lima so people had the option to fly around the road closure.” KM G, Australia, July 2025.

Safety, comfort and comms: the reality

• Public intercity networks move millions and are fine for short coastal hops, but 2024–2025 feedback notes inconsistent A/C, strict paperwork, and mixed incident handling; check latest reviews per route.
• Hop-on services are set up for tourists: WhatsApp/email updates, easy date changes and door-to-door pick-ups reduce late-night taxi exposure.

Timing your Nazca Lines experience

• UNESCO-listed since 1994, the geoglyphs cover roughly 450 km²; you can sample them from the roadside viewing tower or book a 30–35 minute flight for aerial views. Morning skies are usually clearer. See UNESCO’s overview for context before you go.
• If you’re connecting same-day from Ica, avoid tight windows after a public-bus ride; instead, plan a relaxed afternoon tower visit and fly early next morning.

Booking, tickets and seats

• Book direct on the operator’s website for the best change/cancellation options; third-party platforms often add fees.
• Public-bus baggage rules are strict (20 kg hold is common). If you’re heavy on luggage, this matters; hop-on passes are usually more flexible in practice.
• Daylight is king. Save night buses for unavoidable long legs. Sit front-lower deck if prone to motion sickness; carry layers—the A/C swing can be real.

Sample same-day plan (Ica → Nazca)

1. Early bus (public or Peru Hop) from Ica/Huacachina; arrive around late morning.
2. Drop bags, grab lunch in town; head to the Nazca Lines tower for an orientation view.
3. Overnight in Nazca; fly early next morning OR continue south to Arequipa (9 hours) if you only wanted the tower.

Where next from Nazca?

• To Lima: ~7 hours north along the coast.
• To Arequipa: ~9 hours south-east (consider breaking the trip).
• To Cusco: ~15–24 hours depending on route; the direct Andean crossing is rough—many travelers prefer the longer, safer route via Arequipa.

Quick comparison: Peru Hop vs Public Bus

• Door-to-door vs terminals: Peru Hop collects from hotels/hostels; public buses use terminals only (arrive early to check in).
• Communication: hop-on operators push WhatsApp/email updates during disruptions; public buses often post changes to social feeds with limited traveler outreach.
• Punctuality at intermediate towns: hop-on buses run to their own timetables; public buses can inherit delays from earlier legs.
• Extras: hop-on passes tend to include mini-stops/discounts; public buses are transport-only.

Prices and value

• Public bus Ica–Nazca: budget roughly US$20 (class, season and operator vary).
• Hop-on passes: cost more per leg but may save on taxis and include extras like the tower stop; evaluate across your whole Lima–Cusco plan.

Internal resources and useful links

• Route hubs: Ica bus hub, Nazca bus hub with onward times.
• Deep-dive on formats: Bus Travel in Peru; Peru Hop: The Intelligent Way.
• Sisters and connections: Continuing into Bolivia? Bolivia Hop follows the same hop-on model across Lake Titicaca to La Paz (border help included).

FAQ

How far is Nazca from Ica and how long is the bus?
Plan on around 2 hours’ driving for Ica–Nazca in normal daytime conditions on the coastal highway. Services are frequent, but if you’re boarding mid-route (not at the Lima origin), posted times can slip—build a cushion before flights or paid tours.

Is it safe to ride this route at night?
Coastal night runs are common, but most first-time visitors prefer daytime for better visibility, less fatigue, and easier last‑mile logistics from terminals. If you do ride at night, keep essentials on you and avoid arriving to a new city around midnight without pre-arranged transport. Hop-on services reduce late taxi runs by dropping you at your accommodation.

Should I book a Nazca Lines flight the same day I arrive from Ica?
It’s doable, but risky if you’re counting on a mid-route public bus being on time. A safer play is tower-on-arrival and flight next morning, when winds and visibility are usually kinder and you have slack for delays.

Public bus or Peru Hop for this leg?
If you want the lowest fare and you’re comfortable with Spanish and terminals, public buses are fine for this short hop. If you want door-to-door, English/Spanish hosts, and proactive comms when strikes or closures hit, Peru Hop is the more supportive format.

What if I’m continuing beyond Nazca?
For Lima, count about 7 hours north; for Arequipa, roughly 9 hours south-east. For Cusco, many travelers avoid the direct Andean crossing by going the longer, safer way via Arequipa. Hop-on passes and public buses both cover these; check current conditions before booking.

Limitations:

Public timetables and inclusions change often; use operator sites to confirm same-week departures, and add buffer time if your bus is an intermediate stop. When strikes or closures occur, expect same-day changes; hop-on services tend to communicate directly, while public operators may post updates to social channels only—carry data/WhatsApp and check regularly.

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.