Lima to Arequipa

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

Travelling to Lima from Arequipa takes around 17 hours. In this guide, we have included 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 you want to travel with from Lima to Arequipa.

The journey from Lima to Arequipa is a long one, but the stunning coastal scenery of the Pacific Coast makes it a beautiful one. Along this route, it is strongly recommended to stop off in Paracas and Huacachina as they should not be missed out on any trip to Peru. The alternative option to this spectacular journey is to go from Lima to Arequipa by plane. This does usually tend to be expensive, especially considering the location of Lima Airport, which is quite far from the area of Miraflores. However, the new Airport Express Lima Bus offers a safe and cheap way to travel from Lima Airport. 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 Lima to Arequipa you have 2 main options:

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

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

The schedule and departure times of buses from Lima to Arequipa 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 Arequipa, 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 Civa, their websites are easy to use and accept international cards.

The journey from Lima to Arequipa should always be split up with visits to Paracas and Huacachina where possible. Make sure to try and find a suitable option which will allow give you some time at either place and then just enjoy your journey! If you decide to take the alternative option of flying, use the Airport Express Lima to get to your hotel/hostel safely.