How to Get to Cuenca: Mariscal Lamar Airport (CUE), Cajas Road & Tranvía

Tucked into the southern Andean highlands between Quito and Guayaquil, Cuenca is effortless to reach either by a short domestic flight into its central urban airport or via one of the most scenic mountain highway drives in South America across the lakes of El Cajas.

1. By Air: Mariscal Lamar International Airport (IATA: CUE)

• Ten Minutes from Parque Calderón: Unlike airports located far outside city limits, Cuenca's Mariscal Lamar Airport (CUE) sits along Avenida España on the north-eastern edge of the urban grid, just 2.5 kilometres (10 minutes by taxi or tram) from the UNESCO historic centre. Daily scheduled flights connect Cuenca with Quito (UIO, 45 minutes) and Guayaquil (GYE, 40 minutes).
• Airport Transfers by Tranvía or Taxi: Right outside the terminal exit on Avenida España sits the Aeropuerto station of the Tranvía de Cuenca, which carries you directly into the historic centre along Calle Gran Colombia and Calle Mariscal Lamar, while official yellow metered taxis wait outside the arrivals hall.

2. By Road from Guayaquil (Across Parque Nacional Cajas) & Quito

• The Spectacular Guayaquil-to-Cuenca Drive (197 km, 3.5 to 4 Hours via E582): Travelling overland between Guayaquil and Cuenca is a highlight in itself. Within two hours of leaving the tropical banana and cocoa plantations of the Guayas coast, Highway E582 climbs through the cloud forests of Molleturo and crosses the 4,167-metre Tres Cruces continental divide pass right past the glacial lagoons of Parque Nacional Cajas before descending into Cuenca's valley. Both large coaches from Guayaquil's Terminal Terrestre and shared door-to-door executive vans (furgonetas operadoras) depart every thirty to sixty minutes throughout the day.
• Terminal Terrestre de Cuenca & Connections to Quito, Loja & Ingapirca: Located on Avenida España just 400 metres west of the airport (and served by its own Terminal Terrestre tram stop), Cuenca's main bus terminal dispatches buses north along the Pan-American Highway via Riobamba and Ambato to Quito (8 to 9 hours), south to Loja and Vilcabamba (4 to 5 hours), and local regional buses to Cajas National Park, Ingapirca, Gualaceo, and Chordeleg.