Bolivia is landlocked by the Andes Mountain Range and due its particular geographic characteristics entry to Bolivia can be by air or land.
La Paz city is the political capital of Bolivia and considered the highest capital in the world. To get to La Paz city you have to travel by air or land.
By air
El Alto International Airport (IATA: LPB): El Alto is the main gate to Bolivia, considered the world's highest international airport; at 13,313 feet/4,058 meters above sea level. It is almost half as high as a jetliner's cruising altitude and takeoffs take a bit longer due to the thin air.
Most South American airlines (TAM, LAN, TACA, etc.) serve El Alto Airport as well local airlines like BOA, TAM Militar, Amaszonas and Aerocon, all with domestic connections. Most international flights will make a stopover in Santa Cruz and Cochabamba to pick up or drop off passengers.
If you are in the USA
There are flights Miami - La Paz from American Airlines. AVIANCA, United Airlines, TACA, and LAN offer flights from Washington to La Paz as well.
If you are in Southamerica
You can find several airlines flying to Bolivia from more than a few southamerican countries: from Chile, LAN from Peru TACA, from Argentina Aerolineas Argentinas, TAM Mercosur from Sao Paulo, Brazil and Buenos Aires by Asuncion(Paraguay). Copa Airlines from Colombia, Gol from Brazil also make stops at El Alto International Airport.
If you are in Europe
Regular flights from Madrid (Barajas) to El Alto International Airport in La Paz are available from Aerolineas Argentinas. There are also less frequent flights to La Paz city from other European cities like London, Rome, Amsterdam and Berlin, all of them with stopovers in other cities to finally arrive in La Paz city.
By bus
The main bus terminal in La Paz city is located on Av. Ismael Montes, near the upper end of the Prado. Note that buses arriving from Lake Titicaca (the route for entering overland from Puno, Peru) terminate in a plaza near the City Cemetery farther to the west.
Buses leaving La Paz usually stop in El Alto to pick up more passengers. It sometimes takes almost an hour until you really leave the city.
- Seven or eight hours by bus from Cochabamba
- Three hours by bus from Oruro
There are also several bus options to reach La Paz city from Buenos Aires, Salta, Jujuy or La Quiaca in Argentina.
To reach La Paz city from Peru, there are daily buses that travel by Juliaca and Puno to Copacabana to finally arrive to La Paz city.
By Car
If you are going to start a journey by car from your country to La Paz Bolivia please consider that approximately 5% of the roads are paved, 4x4 cars are required.
To drive a car in Bolivia you will require an international driver's license to show in the several toll booths situated on the roads to charge you a fee for the road use.
