In this guide
In Ciudad del Este you walk the downtown shopping blocks and use a taxi, an app or a city bus for everything else. Taxis have no meters, so agree the fare before you get in or order an Uber or Bolt. Walk early, since shops open between 6:00 and 7:00 and the midday heat is hard in summer, and keep the longer runs (bus terminal, Itaipú, airport) for a vehicle.
What are your options for getting around?
Option · Best for · Good to know
Walking · Downtown, between nearby shops · Streets shared with cars and few places to rest (La Nación, 2026 (opens in a new tab))
Taxi · Terminal, hotel, longer trips · No meter: agree the price first (ABC Color, 2021 (opens in a new tab))
Apps (Uber, Bolt, Muv) · Same trips, price up front · ABC recommends them as an alternative to taxis (ABC Color, 2021 (opens in a new tab))
Moto-taxi · Short hops in traffic near the bridge · Yellow, taken from a stand (ABC Color, 2021 (opens in a new tab)); ask for a helmet (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab))
City bus · Hernandarias, Itaipú, neighbourhoods · Wikivoyage lists G. 4,000–5,000 a ride (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab))
Tip: on the bus, get on and sit down; the driver's assistant comes round to collect fares and give change (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)).
Is it worth walking downtown?
Yes, in short stretches and early. Parking is scarce downtown, so the practical move is to leave the car in a parking lot and shop on foot in comfortable clothes and shoes (ABC Color, 2021 (opens in a new tab)). Shops open between 6:00 and 7:00 and close between 15:00 and 16:00 (ABC Color, 2021 (opens in a new tab)), so there is no point walking from mall to mall after that.
- Heat: the average January high is 32 °C, and 40.6 °C has been recorded in December (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). From midday to mid-afternoon, get indoors or into a vehicle.
- Group by block: list your shops by nearby blocks and cross the main avenue only once. The shopping order is in our first-visit guide.
How do you cross the Friendship Bridge?
- On foot: the bridge is 552 m long (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). When cars are queuing, Brazil's Federal Highway Police advise crossing on foot or with licensed transport and choosing quieter hours (Banda B, 2026 (opens in a new tab)).
- By bus: frequent buses run between Foz do Iguaçu and Ciudad del Este over the bridge (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)).
- Immigration: if you stay within 50 km of the border you do not need immigration formalities; to travel further, stop at the office at the bridgehead (ABC Color, 2021 (opens in a new tab)).
- Integration Bridge: not an option for visitors. Since 14 September 2026 private cars may cross only 7:00–13:00 and only for border residents with the Documento de Tránsito Vecinal Fronterizo (Paraguayan Foreign Ministry (opens in a new tab); ABC Color, 2026 (opens in a new tab)).
Bus terminal and airport
- Bus terminal. 1.5 km south of downtown, near Avenida Bernardino Caballero and the 3 de Febrero stadium (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)). Wikivoyage gives sample taxi fares of G. 20,000–30,000 from the terminal to downtown hotels and mentions a fare board at the terminal.
- From Asunción by bus: 5 to 7 hours; in October 2025 a stopping service took 6.5 hours and cost G. 110,000 (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)).
- Guaraní Airport. In Minga Guazú, about 32 km away. Wikivoyage lists a taxi at about G. 140,000 and a single daily bus into town at 13:00 (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)). At any other time, book a transfer or use an app.
Beyond downtown: Itaipú, Hernandarias and the lake
- Itaipú and Hernandarias: any bus to Hernandarias drops you about 500 m from the visitor centre; in March 2023 it cost G. 5,000 (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)). Visits must be booked ahead; see our Itaipú day trip.
- Lago de la República: a 4 km walking and cycling loop (ABC Color, 2022 (opens in a new tab)). This is where to walk for pleasure, at sunrise or sunset, not downtown.
- Tip: to get back at night from the lake or a restaurant, use an app or an agreed-fare taxi rather than counting on a bus.
FAQ
Is there Uber in Ciudad del Este?
Yes. ABC Color lists Uber, Muv and Bolt as alternatives to taxis, which have no meters and charge a price agreed before you get in.
How much is the city bus in Ciudad del Este?
Wikivoyage lists G. 4,000–5,000 for a city ride; the bus to Hernandarias was G. 5,000 in March 2023. You pay the driver's assistant.
Can you walk across the Friendship Bridge?
Yes. It is 552 m long, and when cars are queuing Brazil's Federal Highway Police recommend crossing on foot or with licensed transport.
Where is the Ciudad del Este bus terminal?
1.5 km south of downtown, near Avenida Bernardino Caballero and the 3 de Febrero stadium.
