Cusco to Puno

Going from Cusco to Puno by Bus: 2025 updated information about Bus Safety, The Best Bus Companies to take and their schedules.

Traveling to Puno from Cusco takes around 8 hours on a direct bus and is a journey usually done overnight. Generally, it is recommended to depart Cusco at 10pm to arrive in Puno early in the morning at around 6am. This way, you can make it on time for any Lake Titicaca tour which usually begin around 7am. To get from Cusco to Puno, there are also 2 other options of travel:

1. by plane via Juliaca
2. by taking the new Andean Explorer, a luxury train.

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

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

2 – Touristic Bus (e.g. Inka Express)

3 – Hop on hop off bus (e.g. Peru Hop)

The schedule and departure times of buses from Cusco to Puno 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?

Different companies offer different perks. For example, Civa offers luxury options for some of its routes. Companies like Peru Hop go a step further by including exclusive discounts on accommodation. 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. Where can I book?

When it comes to booking your bus from Lima to Cusco, we highly recommend going directly through the official website of the bus company you choose. Not only will you often get better prices and more flexible cancellation policies, but you’ll also avoid unnecessary service fees charged by third-party platforms like Redbus or Busbud.

Quick tip: If you’re going with a popular company like Peru Hop or Inka Express, their websites are easy to use and accept international cards.

6. 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 more of 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 Cusco to Puno by bus is usually a pleasant one (depending on what company you travel with) as most of the roads direct and smooth. All you have to do is choose the best bus company and enjoy your journey!