The quickest way to get from La Paz to Salar de Uyuni is a 55-minute flight with Boliviana de Aviación to Uyuni’s Joya Andina Airport, from around $119 one way. If you’d rather save money, a heated overnight tourist bus covers the roughly 530 km in 9–12 hours from about $30. There is no direct train — the famous altiplano railway only runs from Oruro, three and a half hours south of La Paz. Below, as a Bolivian who has made this trip more times than I can count, I’ll walk you through every option, honestly, with real 2026 prices and the little details that guidebooks skip.
The three ways to reach Uyuni — at a glance
Almost every traveller heading to the world’s largest salt flat starts in La Paz, and you really have three choices: fly, take the bus, or piece together the bus-plus-train route through Oruro. Each one suits a different kind of trip.
- Flight — fastest and most comfortable, but the priciest and weather-dependent.
- Overnight bus — cheapest and most popular; you sleep through the journey and wake up in Uyuni.
- Train (via Oruro) — the slow, scenic, romantic option for people with time to spare.
Whichever you pick, your destination is the small, dusty town of Uyuni at 3,656 metres, the launch pad for every salt-flat tour. The Salar itself — a blinding white expanse of 10,582 km² — begins about 20 minutes’ drive from town.
Option 1: Flying from La Paz to Uyuni
If your time in Bolivia is limited, fly. Boliviana de Aviación (BoA), the national carrier, is the main airline connecting La Paz’s El Alto International Airport (LPB) with Uyuni’s Joya Andina Airport (UYU). The flight takes just 55 minutes, versus a full night on the road.
Expect to pay around $119–125 one way, sometimes more in peak season and a little less if you book early. BoA usually runs one to three flights a day, with a popular morning departure that lands you in Uyuni around breakfast time — perfect for starting a tour the same afternoon.
A word of caution from experience: El Alto is one of the highest international airports in the world at over 4,000 m, and altiplano weather can be unpredictable. Occasional wind or snow delays happen in the rainy season, so never book a Uyuni flight for the same day as an international connection home.
Book directly on the BoA website or through a Bolivian travel agency. Fares are charged in bolivianos, and paying with a local agency sometimes avoids foreign-card surcharges.
Who should fly
Travellers on a tight schedule, anyone prone to altitude fatigue, and families who don’t fancy a long night on a bus. The extra cost buys you almost a full day back.
Option 2: The overnight bus
The overnight bus is how most backpackers and budget travellers do it, and honestly, it works well. Buses leave from La Paz in the evening and arrive in Uyuni early the next morning, so you don’t lose daylight and you save a night’s accommodation.
The journey takes 9 to 12 hours depending on road conditions. Prices range from about $11 on a basic local bus to $30–40 on a comfortable tourist service. For this route, spend the extra few dollars.
Todo Turismo is the best-known tourist operator on the La Paz–Uyuni run, with heated cabins, reclining semi-cama or cama seats, an onboard toilet and a light meal included. That heating is not a luxury — nighttime temperatures on the altiplano regularly drop below freezing, and the cheap local buses are genuinely cold.
Practical bus tips
- Depart from the main La Paz bus terminal, or from the tourist operator’s private office (Todo Turismo has its own terminal).
- Bring a warm layer, an eye mask and earplugs; the road is paved but bumpy in stretches.
- Keep your passport, phone and cash in a small bag on your lap, never in the overhead rack.
- Book at least a day ahead in high season — these buses sell out.
Option 3: The train through Oruro
Let’s clear up the most common myth first: there is no train directly from La Paz to Uyuni. The classic Bolivian railway that so many travellers dream of begins in Oruro, about 3.5 hours south of La Paz by bus.
To do it, you take a bus or minibus from La Paz to Oruro (roughly $4–6), then board one of two trains operated by Ferroviaria Andina:
- Expreso del Sur — the faster, more comfortable service, departing Oruro on Tuesdays and Fridays around 14:00 and reaching Uyuni about 21:20.
- Wara Wara del Sur — the older, cheaper train, departing Wednesdays and Sundays in the evening and arriving after midnight.
Both offer two classes, Salón and Ejecutivo, with the executive carriages adding reclining seats and heating. The ride from Oruro to Uyuni takes around seven hours and glides past lakes, flamingos and tiny altiplano villages.
The train is not the practical choice — the schedule is rigid and the total journey with the Oruro bus is long. But if you love slow travel and want a genuinely local experience, it’s unforgettable. Always double-check current departure days directly with Ferroviaria Andina, as they change seasonally.
Once you arrive in Uyuni
However you travel, you’ll land in Uyuni town, a compact grid of streets built around tourism. From here, every salt-flat tour departs. You’ll find dozens of operators along Avenida Ferroviaria near the old train station, plus hotels, ATMs (use them — there are none on the multi-day southwest circuit), pizza restaurants and gear shops for gloves and sunglasses.
Most people book a one-day or three-day/two-night tour. The three-day version is the classic, taking in the salt flat, the Train Cemetery, coloured lagoons, flamingos, geysers and hot springs before ending near the Chilean border at San Pedro de Atacama. If you’re short on time, the sunset-and-stars one-day tour still delivers that jaw-dropping mirror effect.
Best time to make the trip
Timing shapes both your journey and what you’ll see on the Salar:
- Dry season (May–October) — clear skies, easy roads and the classic honeycomb salt patterns. This is peak travel season, so book transport ahead.
- Rainy season (roughly December–March) — a thin sheet of water turns the flat into the world’s largest mirror. It’s spectacular but roads flood and some routes close, so flying becomes even more appealing.
For the mirror effect, aim for January and February; for reliable weather and a smoother overland trip, choose the dry-season months.
My honest recommendation
If money is tight and you enjoy the adventure, take a heated tourist overnight bus — it’s the sweet spot of price, comfort and time. If your itinerary is packed or you’re travelling with kids or older relatives, fly with BoA and reclaim that day for the salt flat itself. Save the train for a return trip, when you already know Bolivia and want to see the altiplano roll slowly past your window.
Whatever you choose, give yourself a buffer day in Uyuni before any onward flight. The altiplano rewards patience — and the Salar is worth every hour of the trip.
Planning the wider journey? Pair this with our guides on the best time to visit Bolivia, altitude tips for the highlands, and how much a Bolivia trip really costs, so you arrive in Uyuni ready for the most surreal landscape on earth.
Key facts
- → La Paz to Uyuni is about 530 km; the overnight bus covers it in 9–12 hours for roughly $11–40 depending on the company.
- → A Boliviana de Aviación flight from La Paz (El Alto, LPB) to Uyuni (Joya Andina, UYU) takes about 55 minutes and costs around $119–125 one way.
- → There is no direct La Paz–Uyuni train; the Expreso del Sur and Wara Wara del Sur run only from Oruro, a 3.5-hour bus ride south of La Paz.
- → Uyuni town sits at 3,656 m — the same altitude as the Salar de Uyuni, which covers 10,582 km².
Frequently asked questions
What's the fastest way to get from La Paz to Uyuni? +
Flying is by far the fastest. A direct Boliviana de Aviación flight from El Alto International Airport to Uyuni's Joya Andina Airport takes about 55 minutes and costs roughly $119–125 one way. Compared with 9–12 hours on the overnight bus, a flight saves you almost a full day, which matters if your trip is short.
Is the overnight bus from La Paz to Uyuni safe? +
Yes, reputable tourist companies like Todo Turismo run comfortable overnight buses with heating, reclining seats and onboard bathrooms. Nights on the altiplano are freezing, so choose a heated bus and bring a warm layer. Keep valuables in your daypack on your lap, not in the overhead rack or hold, and book with an established operator rather than the cheapest local option.
Do I need to book Uyuni transport in advance? +
During the high seasons — the dry-season months of June to August and the mirror-effect months of January to March — flights and tourist buses fill up fast, so book several days ahead. Flights especially sell out because BoA runs limited daily service. In the low season you can often buy a bus ticket the same day at the terminal, but booking ahead still guarantees a heated seat.