Updated: 12 June 2019

The bus from Sucre to Uyuni takes about 8 hours covering a distance of 359 km. You can take a direct bus from Sucre to Uyuni or you can stop in Potosi.

If you are interested in visiting the Uyuni salt flats, you will be a stone-throw away from the amazing cities of Sucre and Potosi, both named Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO due to their rich history and well-kept colonial architecture. Walking the streets of Sucre and Potosi is like stepping into another time, just as a walk through the Uyuni salt flats is like a stroll on another planet.

If you want to get to know all three destinations, you can first go from Sucre to Potosi, and from there to Uyuni. Find here the bus time tables and all the information you need to know to travel by bus from Sucre to Uyuni, from Sucre to Potosi, and from Potosi to Uyuni.

From Sucre to Potosi by bus

Sucre is the capital of Bolivia, where the Constitution was signed, although the seat of government was moved to La Paz in the 18th century. Today, the city is one of Bolivia’s main tourist destinations due to its white walls and red rooftops. You can visit colonial churches and convents and enjoy a mild, sunny weather. Sucre is considered one of the most beautiful colonial cities in South America.

The distance between Sucre and Potosi is 156 kilometers and it takes around 3 hours in bus to travel from Sucre to Potosi.

Departures are available all day as buses leave once every hour between 06:00 am and 19:00 every day.  In order to travel from Sucre to Potosi, take a bus from the main bus terminal in Sucre, located on Avenida Ostria Gutierrez. You will need to pay a small fee called Uso de Terminal (Terminal fee), which costs 2.5 Bs. The buses from Sucre arrive at the “new” bus station in Potosi, located on Avenida Las Banderas.

Potosi is an important mining center, famous for the Cerro Rico. This mountain provided silver to the Spanish Colony during centuries. The silver coins were minted in Potosi for the entire Spanish Empire. The city has preserved its colonial architecture and tourists can visit the Casa de la Moneda museum, as well as the remaining silver mines.

From Potosi to Uyuni by bus

After spending a few hours/days in Potosi, you can easily continue to Uyuni. Uyuni is located 204 km from Potosi. This trip is 4 hour-long by bus.

In order to take a bus to Uyuni from Potosi you must go to Potosi’s “old” bus terminal, on Avenida Universitaria.  

The buses leave at 9:30, 16:30 and 17:30 in semi lie-flat buses with the company Expreso 11 de Julio. You will have to pay a small fee of 2.5 B.s before boarding the bus. 

Please note that Potosi has two bus terminals, one for regional trip, which includes Uyuni, and another for national trips (La Paz, Sucre, etc.)

From Sucre to Uyuni by bus

You can also go to Uyuni directly from Sucre. The journey takes around 8 hours covering a distance of 360 kilometers. There are three daily departures from Sucre: at 9:30, 20:00 and 20:30.

The bus companies doing this route are 6 de Octubre or Exp. 11 de Julio.

Uyuni is the most popular tourist destination in Bolivia, and deservedly so. The Uyuni salt flats is a 12.0000 square kilometers desert of salt in the middle of the Bolivian altiplano. There are different types of tours (1-day, 2-day, 3-day and 4-day tours) with possibility to transfer to Chile.

For more information on what to do in Uyuni and how to choose your tour, you can visit our guide here.

You can visit the site https://www.ticketsbolivia.com to book bus tickets online.