Information

Entering Bolivia

The information provided below has been provided by the National Migration Service and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. To enter the country, travelers must submit:

A valid passport

A visa, depending on your country of origin (of 30, 60 or 90 days) and the reason for entering the country.

No visa is required for a tourist stay of up to 3 months.

Requirements to leave Bolivia: To leave the country, travelers must submit:

A valid passport.

Foreigners living in the country have to pay BOB 70.

Control of time stayed: In case the traveler stayed more days than planned, (s)he will have to pay a fine of BOB 10 per extra day; children under age and students will pay BOB 5.

Bolivian children and foreign children under age living in the country who travel alone or with only one of their parents shall be required inevitably to present a traveling authorization granted by the Courtroom for Child and Adolescent Matters.

Air Travel

The principal national airline companies are Boliviana de Aviación (BOA), Aerolíneas del Sur (AEROSUR) and Transporte Aéreo Militar (TAM). Several foreign airlines companies fly to Bolivia, among which American Airlines, Varig, Aerolíneas Argentinas, Lan Chile, Aeroperú, TACA and Transportes MERCOSUR.

The International Airport Rate to be paid by people on international flights is USD 25 (twenty-five 00/100 North American dollars). The National Airport Rate for domestic flights is BOB 15.

The international departure tax is BOB 155 (one hundred and fifty-five 00/100 bolivianos). The departure tax (ISAE) has to be paid by all Bolivians or residents who have stayed in the country for more than three months. This tax has to be paid at the Revenue Service counter. For more information, visit the website of "Servicios de Aeropuertos de Bolivia" (SABSA) at www.sabsa-bo.com.

Airlines

Aerosur
www.aerosur.com
Avenida Irala 616
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
Phone: (591– 3) 3364446
Fax: (591– 3) 3330666

BOA– Boliviana de Aviación
www.boa.bo
Calle Jordán 202, esq. Nataniel Aguirre
Cochabamba, Bolivia
Phone: (591- 4) 4140873
Fax: (591- 4) 4114643

TAM - Transporte Aéreo Militar
www.tam.bo
Avenida Montes 738, esq. Jose Maria Serrano,
La Paz, Bolivia
Phone: (591- 2) 2 681101
Fax: (591- 2) 2 681102

Airports

La Paz: "El Alto"
Phone: (591– 2) 22810122

Santa Cruz: "Viru Viru"
Phone: (591– 3) 3852400

Cochabamba: "Jorge Wilstermann"
Phone: (591– 4) 4591821

Chuquisaca: "Juana Azurduy de Padilla"
Phone: (591– 4) 6461653

Pando: "Capitán Anibal Arab Fadu"
Phone: (591– 3) 3842260

Tarija: "Oriel Lea Plaza"
Phone: (591– 4) 6643135

Beni: "Jorge Herrich"
Phone: (591– 3) 4620678

Train Travel

Bolivia has two railway networks: the western network administered by "Empresa Ferroviaria Andina S.A." and the eastern network administered by "Empresa Ferroviaria Oriental S.A.".

The Western Network covers 2,274 kilometers, connecting the Bolivian west to Argentina and Peru. Railway transportation in the Bolivian Andes region is administered by Chilean company Andina S.A. (FCA).

The Eastern Network covers 1,473.5 kilometers, connecting the country to Brazil and Argentina through Yacuiba. This railway network crosses the departments of Santa Cruz, Chuquisaca and Tarija. For more information on trains in Bolivia, visit the website of the "Empresa Ferroviaria Andina" at www.fca.com.bo.

Bus Travel

The bus service interconnects all departments of the country. Travelers can choose the line, the type of bus and the traveling time. Travelers should arrive half an hour before the bus leaves. Ticket prices vary depending on the distance and destination. Travelers have to pay for using the bus terminal, between BOB 1 and 2 depending on the city.

Car Rental

Various highways in Bolivia are asphalted, other roads are gravel roads and still others dirt roads. The country has a road network of approximately 53,000 kilometers.

In the principal cities of Bolivia, there are car rental companies renting cars of different makes and characteristics, according to the visitor's requirements. An international driver's license is indispensable if you want to rent a car. This license will have to be validated by the Bolivian Automobile Club (ACB) and the Traffic Police (Departmental Office of the Traffic Police, which exists in all cities and tourist sites). You can get a temporary driver's license when submitting a foreign driver's license.

Automóvil Club Boliviano (Bolivian Automobile Club)
Phone: (591– 2) 2431132
E-mail:acblapaz@ceibo.entelnet.bo

Mobility in the city

Visitors can use public transportation, buses, mini buses, taxis and radio taxis. Rates vary depending on the city and route.

Time

The official time in relation to the Greenwich meridian is 4 hours less (GMT-4)

Currency

Boliviano (BOB 1 = 100 cents)
Banknotes of BOB 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200
Coins of BOB 1 and 2, 0.5 - 0.10 - 0.20 and 0.50 cents.

BOB - USD exchange rate

Sale: 1 USD = 7.07 BOB
Purchase: 1 USD = 6.97 BOB

The latest exchange rate authorized by the Central Bank of Bolivia can be found at www.bcb.gov.bo. Foreign currency, both cash and traveler checks, can be changed in banks, money exchange houses and hotels. Transactions in American Dollars are commonplace and in the principal cities it is also possible to change Euros for Bolivianos. Cash can be withdrawn from ATMs with credit or debit cards, either in Bolivianos or in Dollars.

National Public Holidays

New Year, 1 January
Carnival, February – March (moving date)
Good Friday, 13 April
Labor Day, 1 May
Corpus Christi, 14 June
National Day, 6 August
All Saints, 2 November
Christmas, 25 December

Departmental Holidays

Besides the national holidays, the following departmental civic anniversaries are commemorated:

Oruro, 10 February
Tarija, 15 April
Chuquisaca, 25 May
La Paz, 16 July
Cochabamba, 14 September
Santa Cruz, 24 September
Pando, 1 October
Potosí, 10 November
Beni, 18 November

Working Hours

Private Sector

Monday thru Friday (8:30 to 18:30, with a lunch break from 12:30 to 14:30).

Public Sector

Monday thru Friday (8:00 to 16:0, continuous working hours).

Banks:

Monday thru Friday (8:30 to 18:00, with a lunch break from 12:00 to 14:30)

Trade

Monday thru Friday (8:00 to 19:00, with a lunch break from 13:00 to 15:00).
Saturday, from 10:00 to 13:00.

Post Office

Monday thru Friday, 8:00 to 20:00.
Saturday, 8:00 to 19:00.

Opening Hours of Restaurants / Cafés

Breakfast: 07:00 to 9:00.
Lunch: 12:30 to 13:30.
Dinner: 20:30 to 21:30.

International phone codes

Bolivia's international telephone code is 591.

The departmental telephone codes of Bolivia are:

La Paz +591 (2)
Cochabamba +591 (4)
Santa Cruz +591 (3)
Oruro +591 (2)
Potosí +591 (2)
Chuquisaca +591 (4)
Tarija +591 (4)
Beni +591 (3)
Pando +591 (3)

Making calls to cell phones

To call Bolivia, dial +591 followed by the cell phone number.

Emergency phone numbers

Police: 110
Fire brigade: 119
Ambulance: 118

Voltage

220 and 110 volt in La Paz and 220 volt in the rest of the country.

Communications

Telephone and internet services operate 24/7.

The principal daily newspapers are: Ultima Hora, El Diario, La Razón, Presencia and La Prensa in La Paz; Correo del Sur (Sucre); El Deber and El Mundo (Santa Cruz); Los Tiempos (Cochabamba):

El Diario: www.eldiario.net

La Razon: La-razon.com

La Prensa: www.laprensa-bolivia.com.bo

El Deber: www.eldeber.com.bo

Los Tiempos: www.lostiempos.com

Vehicle circulation

General rules: Driving on the right. An international driver's license is obligatory.

Speed limit: In the cities 40 Km/hour and 10 Km/hour in school areas. Outside the cities, maximum 80 Km/hour.

Accommodation:

Bolivia has accommodation facilities in all cities and provinces of the country, which are categorized according to the service they offer. Visitors can find 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5-star hotels in the principal cities of the country. See: www.bolivianet.com/hoteles1.htm

Tourist services:

There is a wide range of prestigious tourist operators in the principal cities of the country, which offer tours to the principal tourist attractions in the country. In each departmental capital city, you can also consult the Departmental Tourist Service for any additional information.

Shopping

Bolivian cities have many handicraft markets that offer handicrafts from different regions of the country, e.g. silverware, traditional handmade weavings, wood and stone carvings, ceramics, embossed leather, music instruments and a wide range of typical handicrafts. There are also many places where you can buy all sorts of products, from popular markets to luxury shopping malls. There you can buy a variety of national and imported goods, such as household appliances, liquors, apparel of national and international brands, computers, leatherware, perfumes, upholstery, all at affordable prices.

Use of photographic film:

ASA 100 or 200 are recommended for the highlands and mountains.

Credit cards:

Most hotels and restaurants in the principal cities accept American Express, Visa and Master Card.

Cultural activities: The principal cities have specialized museums and colonial and contemporary art galleries.