Puno to Cusco

Going from Puno to Cusco by Bus: 2024 updated information about Bus Safety, The Best Bus Companies to take and their schedules.

Travelling to Cusco from Puno takes around 8 hours on a direct bus and is a journey usually done overnight. In this guide, we have extensive information about bus safety in Peru, the best bus companies to travel with and other benefits you should look out for when choosing the bus company to travel with from Puno to Cusco.

To get from Puno to Cusco, there are also 2 other options of travel:

1. by plane from Juliaca which is an hour bus journey from Puno.
2. by taking the new Andean Explorer, a luxury train.

The journey from Puno to Cusco is full of spectacular scenery along the way. Although it is possible to fly or take the train between these two destinations, both methods can be quite expensive, but they are always an option if you are very short on time. Below you will find important information to consider before choosing the best bus company to travel with on this route.

To take a bus from Puno to Cusco you have 2 main options:

1 – Hop on hop off bus (e.g. Peru Hop, Green Toad Bus)

2 – Public Bus (e.g. Cruz del Sur, Oltursa)

The schedule and departure times of buses from Puno to Cusco are as follows:

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO HELP CHOOSE WHAT BUS COMPANY TO TAKE:

1. Is it required to travel to the bus companies public terminal or do they pick you up from your hotel/hostel?
   • Some bus companies, such as the hop on hop off companies, do pick you up from wherever you’re staying, which is a much more secure and safer service rather than having to take local taxis. Going with public bus companies you will always have to travel to the terminal meaning there is the need to find out where the terminal is and organizing transport to on the day of travel.
2. How is bus safety in Peru and what are the companies safety records like?
   • This varies from company to company. The best way to find out the safety record of any bus company is to put the name of the company with the words “hijackings” or “accidents” and googling the results. This way you will be able to see which companies are the best.
3. What can I expect to find on the bus? What are the on-board facilities like?
   • Most companies will have TV’s, toilets (how clean the toilets are depend on the company) and semi-cama or cama seats. All important factors which help determine the best company.
4. Are there any other benefits I can expect to find depending on the bus company?
   • You will find while doing research that different companies offer different things. Some companies have special luxury class buses that come at a higher price, some companies, such as Cruz del Sur, have loyalty point schemes and other companies, such as Peru Hop, offer discounts on accommodation and other things. Make sure to check out a couple of different companies to see what benefits you can get and which will be the best for you.
5. Final recommendation
   • Based on traveler reviews and feedback from users, Peru Hop is the best option for travel from Cusco to Puno. Their unique bus service offers everything that a traveler needs. But if you’re a history buff, we suggest checking out Inka Express. They offer VIP bus service with touristic stops across the world-famous Inca Ruta del Sol where hidden ruins lay. Click here for more detailed information of their service.

The journey from Puno to Cusco by bus is usually a pleasant one (depending on what company you travel with) as most of the roads direct and smooth. Generally, overnight buses are recommended for travellers since a lot of them will be going to Machu Picchu upon arrival. All you have to do is choose the best bus company and enjoy your journey!