How difficult it is to get to Quito airport!

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Today we will talk about transport options from and Quito International Airport and why I think it is difficult to get to and is a pending issue for the city.

If you are a common traveler like me, You may not always have a car or budget to pay a taxi until Quito airport and the "low cost" options are very basic, reduced and unreliable.

many will say, Why did they move the airport so far if before we were just 15 minutes? That is past and the city needed a new airport, with more space and a longer and safer runway to be able to have more distant flights and grow in tourism, business,etc. The airport is where it is, But they have passed 12 years and from my point of view, Transport to airport is still a pending theme to improve.

Arrive or leave Quito airport, it's not that easy

Mariscal Sucre de Quito airport is wonderful. It is clean, tidy, functional, The processes are clear, You flow and not stress. Its decoration is another level and therefore, It has won so many international awards such as the best in the region in its category and many more awards, and with the expansion it will be even better, But there are things that come from the reach of the airport as such and that do not help the general experience of Vieje.

I will never forget an experience I had a few years ago., while landing from Bogota Next to me came a very cool Japanese couple., who, flying from so far away, wanted to quickly get to the Marriott in Quito and they asked me if the airport metro leaves them close.

Ojo, This story is real and those who have read me for years know that I am not lying.. That time passed so many things through my head, First remembering my beautiful trip to Japan from 2019 before the pandemic and there I used the subway the entire trip, Even from the airports of Haneda and Narita, I assumed they expected the same. But of course, I had to break their bubble and first tell them that there is no subway to the airport and that second, At that time it was still uncertain when the Quito Metro.

what did I do? I accompanied them to the official taxis, I told them that they will be charged $25 Dollars (I assume it was that value because I spoke for them., but surely they were $30) and ready they left, I hope your trip has enjoyed, they would go up Galapagos after.

With this introduction I want to show that, As a city and country we do not look good to foreign tourists (Let's say we are accustomed), leaving or arriving is not easy or economical, Being the main entrance door to Ecuador, should be much better.

Unfulfilled promises

You know, I go some 17 years (I think it's more) reporting on aviation Ecuador and from the world, so I have very clear in my memory all the transportation and road offers that have been offered for the airport and these are some of the ones I have, If any is missing, They let me know:

• Cable car or Metroférico from Carolina to the airport: I remember was in December 2018 that President Moreno announced that investment and I thought it was wonderful, since the metro would also be in Carolina. have passed almost 7 years and not a pole or cable has been launched and believe me it would be spectacular.
• Expansion of the Living Route: This route is the most used to the airport, that is to say it is in pieces, was inaugurated until its current phase in Puembo almost 2 years after the opening of the new airport and it was to be expanded some time later in its Phase 3 to the round of the mirror and alpachaca connector to reduce between 7 a 10 Minutes of transfer times to the airport. We are already in 2025 and there is no concrete progress other than an announcement to put out to tender the expansion of the route, set tolls and more, but there are no exact dates of when, perhaps the necessary expansion will be made.
• The third route Zámbiza Route from the Gualo ring road to the airport: Surely many did not know of the existence of this project that would have more than 13 kilometers of travel reaching the E-35. Unfortunately for him 2018 The project was suspended despite the fact that it had studies, plans and more, A road solution was even created at the entrance to Tabacarcen, which today is another delay due to that traffic light.. What happened? They gave priority to the Ruta Viva and it was justified not to do it because the government made the Collas.
• Partially the Collas route: For aviation I have a great memory, but the Collas that we know today, It shouldn't have been like that. Its original layout was shorter since the road would have one of the longest bridges in the country (that's what they said), But as we see today the layout is another and surely for costs. If they did it as initially offered, the time to the airport was surely reduced by several minutes.

How to get to Quito airport?

Let's review the options we have, to realize that there are not many and in the cheapest cases it is not reliable and even less 24/7.

Private vehicle

The most logical option, You have your car, You go to the airport and ready. Of course, This implies gas and parking costs, Add everything up and it turns out to be more expensive than the taxi even depending on how many days you travel.

Too, If you are arriving you can rent a car, but those are other considerably high values ​​that are not for everyone and even more, handle in Ecuador I do not recommend it much: our signage, respect and ways are not the best.

Since the inauguration, when there were no optimal routes and it took more than 2 hours arrive from Quito What is today, The times have been significantly reduced. When I can go by car, depending on the time and day, I can quietly arrive in alone 35 minutes from La Carolina or less even, but imagine if all the road promises had been fulfilled, These times would be reduced even further, making it more friendly to move to travel or see a family member.

Taxi o Uber

Many will say that I complain about the $25 dollars that the taxi costs and a little less for an Uber, that outside it can be more expensive as in USA that are already exorbitant values ​​and that I am not complaining there, but gentlemen, everything must go hand in hand with the economic reality of each country and I am not saying that what we pay in a taxi is unpayable., but in the absence of better options it becomes an almost obligatory service and when adding it to everything a trip costs I do prefer to spend those $20 In a meal.

public buses

There are two green buses, one leaving from Quitumbe and another leaving from Río Coca plus a gray bus that leaves from Carcelén. They are the cheapest option: paid $2.45 to the airport if you go out or go to the terminal. I use them very often, they are not bad, But they have many problems.

• They do not comply with departure times so you may have to use two buses to get to the airport, and this is what I have to do the most because of that lack of reliability.
• They are not comfortable to travel with luggage as they are tall, have stands and not have a dedicated space for suitcases.
• They are not accessible.
• There will always be that safety risk of riding a public service..
• They do not operate every day of the week (the green one a la Río Coca operates only from Monday to Friday for example).
• Their hours are limited and they do not operate later than 19 hours.

Of all problems, safety, Failure and limited schedule are the biggest problems that limit its use. If you got to the 8 pm, scrub, You only have to pay for an expensive taxi and your budget is gone..

Private buses as aeroservicios

There is no longer, they don't exist anymore. This company went bankrupt and we lost the other option that was quite good in price and had more or less reliable schedules and I say this because in recent times their schedules were strange and it could not be guaranteed that the bus would leave if there were no more passengers.. This service at the beginning of the new airport was a huge success, If you did not arrive with time, you lost your space and had to wait another hour for the next bus.

Departing from the old airport it was a great option for the north center of Quito that was lost and there are no signs of recovery of something similar.

What can be done?

In this point, The Municipality of Quito could regulate the service of public buses to make them more reliable, They meet schedules and have better buses, that operate 24/7 or at least until midnight and connecting with the subway, I think that is asking too much?.

Since I talked about the subway, Imagine a metro line to the valleys of Cumbaya, Tumbaco, Pifo and arrives at the airport, it would be beautiful, but for now I'll settle for the cable car, But in this case I do not see that any can be done in the short-median term.

Unless a private company appears to provide a new transportation service to the airport, I do not see an exit to these limited options, I am sure that if there were more and better alternatives, would help increase passenger demand. Even if they don't believe it, a difficulty in accessing or leaving an airport if it is considered in the planning of many travelers and let's not only think about those with high incomes, but also in the low cost that we always seek options to reduce costs.

I have a great business idea for transport to airport, If someone is interested in investing, we can talk here: [email protected].

How do you like transportation to the airport?? Tell me your opinion in the comments.

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