Be Careful with Quito's Airport

[JOHN DANIEL]

I’ve just come back from 3 weeks (May, 2014) exploring the central highlands from Quito to Cuenca. I don’t know why IL thinks Cuenca is so great. With the exception of the Metropolitan Cathedral I didn’t see anything special. Admittedly, I never went to the west side of town; only the east side where the bus comes in from the north, and Centro. You can keep Cuenca with its blue city buses belching clouds of black diesel exhaust.
A mistake that seems destined to ruin someone’s trip, very fortunately did not ruin mine, but could have. It seems Quito’s new airport has the same name, Mariscal Sucre, as the old airport. My understanding is that the old airport, near the center of the city, is being turned into a park. God help the person who shows up there at 4AM for a 6AM flight. Here’s one solution: From the north end of the red trolley bus line—sorry I don’t have the terminal name handy—cross the street and board a $1 (one dollar) bus to El Quinche. El Quinche is the closest town to the new airport northeast of Quito, and essential for red-eye flights. The new hotel is reasonably priced and will tack on a $13 charge for a taxi if you’re going to the airport in the morning. At 4AM it’s a 20 minute ride. Avoid taxis between the new airport and central Quito. They will try to gouge you for $50. Hotels for the budget traveler: I had 11 in 21 days in May. I never needed a reservation. There’s no bed bugs. DO NOT arrive late at night when they know they have you over a barrel. Have the flexibility to tell them you can stay one night or three, how long depends on (1) How much they charge (2) whether there’s hot water in la ducha or not. Get ready for diarrhea with the $1.50 meals.

[EI EXPERT – EDD STATON]

Sorry you didn’t enjoy Cuenca, John. Several thousand expats, including me, disagree with your assessment. A brand new law in Ecuador requires all taxis to be metered and print receipts, so price gouging should be a thing of the past.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

I’m the type who doesn’t have the time or inclination to take a bus when I am traveling with my luggage, and I think $30 for a taxi that drives you from the airport into Quito is a bargain in my view. That’s the going rate from the airport to the heart of Quito. (You may pay more if you are going to one extreme or other of the city. And hotels always add a surcharge. And thank goodness we’re not all attracted to the same places, huh?

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