Transport in

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

is mostly by road. The railways were historically important in Bolivia, but now play a relatively small part in the country's transport system. Because of the country's geography, aviation is also important.

Railways

''Total:'' 3,504 km (single track)
'' Narrow gauge (

metre gauge Metre-gauge railways are narrow-gauge railways with track gauge of or 1 metre. The metre gauge is used in around of tracks around the world. It was used by European colonial powers, such as the French, British and German Empires. In Europe, la ...

):'' * 3,504 km gauge; (2006) * The eastern and western networks are joined only via Argentina, due to ''slow progress'' on a direct link. ** The map on page 522 of the 1969/1970 edition of JANE'S shows a link between Cuevos and Zudañez as being "under construction".

Rail links with adjacent countries

* Argentina - yes - both countries * Brazil - yes - gauge both countries * Chile - yes - gauge both countries; break of gauge where Chile is gauge * Peru - Shipping from railhead in

Guaqui Guaqui is a railhead and port in Bolivia on Lake Titicaca. A ferry (a car float) connects with the Peruvian railhead and port on Puno. It served as location of Inca ruins prior to the arrival of the Spanish. The towns current church sites on what ...

to railhead in

Puno Puno (Aymara and qu, Punu) is a city in southeastern Peru, located on the shore of Lake Titicaca. It is the capital city of the Puno Region and the Puno Province with a population of approximately 140,839 (2015 estimate). The city was establish ...

across Lake Titicaca, see Peru train ferry

Maps

UN Map

Towns served by rail

Light Rail

Bolivia's first light rail network is under construction in Cochabamba, and is due to open in 2020.

Cable Car

Bolivia is home to Mi Teleférico, the world's first urban transit network to use cable cars as the primary mode of transportation. This system services the twin cities of El Alto and

La Paz La Paz (), officially known as Nuestra Señora de La Paz (Spanish pronunciation: ), is the seat of government of the Bolivia, Plurinational State of Bolivia. With an estimated 816,044 residents as of 2020, La Paz is the List of Bolivian cities ...

, and increased physical and social mobility within Bolivia.

Roadways

Bolivia as of 2004 has 62,479 km of road distance, of which 3,749 km (including 27 km of expressways) is paved and 58,730 km is unpaved. Road construction in Bolivia is difficult due to its geography and lack of resources to completely develop an advanced road network. However, it maintains a small network of 4-lane freeways which are the following: *1 Oruro -

Patacamaya Patacamaya or Patak Amaya (Aymara) is a city in Bolivia, situated in the La Paz Department. It is the seat of the Patacamaya Municipality, the fifth municipal section of the Aroma Province. Patacamaya lies in the Altiplano, approximately 100&n ...

(''Expected to be completed in a few years, extending to

''). Length: 114 km. *4 Cochabamba - Quillacollo. Length: 14 km. *4 Santa Cruz de la Sierra - Montero. Length: 48 km. The main national roads are: RN4_Bolivia_Oruro_03_2019

* RN1 Desaguadero, border with Peru -

- Oruro -

Potosí Potosí, known as Villa Imperial de Potosí in the colonial period, is the capital city and a municipality of the Department of Potosí in Bolivia. It is one of the highest cities in the world at a nominal . For centuries, it was the location o ...

- Tarija - Bermejo, border with Argentina. * RN2 Copacabana, border with Peru -

. * RN3

- San Borja - Trinidad. * RN4 Tambo Quemado, border with Chile - Cochabamba - Montero - Santa Cruz de la Sierra -

Puerto Suárez Puerto Suárez is an inland river port and municipality in Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia. It is located 10 km west of the border with Brazil. Location ''Puerto Suárez'' is located in the province of Germán Busch, Santa Cruz Department a ...

, border with Brazil. * RN5 La Palizada -

Sucre Sucre () is the Capital city, capital of Bolivia, the capital of the Chuquisaca Department and the List of cities in Bolivia, 6th most populated city in Bolivia. Located in the south-central part of the country, Sucre lies at an elevation of . T ...

- Border with Chile. * RN6 Oruro -

- Chaco, border with Paraguay. * RN7 Cochabamba -

Samaipata Samaipata may refer to: *Samaipata, Bolivia *El Fuerte de Samaipata El Fuerte de Samaipata or Fort Samaipata, also known simply as "El Fuerte", is a Pre-Columbian archaeological site and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Florida Province, Sa ...

- Santa Cruz de la Sierra. * RN8 Yucumo -

Riberalta Riberalta is a town in the Beni Department in northern Bolivia, situated where the Madre de Dios River joins the Beni River. Riberalta is on the south (south east) bank of the Beni River. As the capital of the province of Vaca Diez, the city ...

Guayaramerín Guayaramerín is a city within the Bolivian Beni Department. It is the capital of the Guayaramerín Municipality in the Vaca Díez Province. Guayaramerín is located on the west side of the Mamoré River, facing the Brazilian city of Guajará ...

, border with Brazil. * RN9

, border with Brazil - Trinidad - Santa Cruz de la Sierra - Yacuíba, border with Argentina * RN10 Montero - San Matías, border with Brazil. * RN 14

Villazón Villazón is a town in southern Bolivia, on the border with Argentina. It sits directly across La Quiaca River from La Quiaca in Argentina. The town is a busy trading hub, with large quantities of goods flowing north. It is also a heavily used ...

, border with Argentina. The

Interoceanic Highway The Interoceanic Highway or Trans-oceanic highway is an international, transcontinental highway in Peru and Brazil to connect the two countries. The east–west passageway spans 2600 kilometers. From Peru's Pacific Ocean coastline, it continues ...

is an important highway that connects the Amazonian tripoint border region of Brazil, Peru and Bolivia to the Pacific Ocean. Bolivia's northernmost capital,

Cobija Cobija is a city in Bolivia, capital of the department of Pando, is located about 600 km (373 mi.) north of La Paz in the Amazon Basin on the border with Brazil. Cobija lies on the banks of the Rio Acre across from the Brazilian ci ...

, headquarters a free economic zone that uses the Interoceanic Highway to import and export most of its products.https://www.zofracobija.gob.bo/

Waterways

10,000 km of commercially navigable waterways (2007)

Ports and harbors

Seaports

* In October 2010, Peru granted Bolivia port facilities and a free-trade zone as part of larger series of agreements strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. Bolivia was granted about of port facilities on a 99-year lease at the Port of

Ilo The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice by setting international labour standards. Founded in October 1919 under the League of Nations, it is the first and ol ...

on Peru's southern Pacific coast. A similar agreement, signed by then Bolivian president Jaime Paz Zamora in 1992, never materialized for a lack of investment in infrastructure.

has free port privileges in the maritime ports of Argentina, Brazil, and Chile.

Lake Titicaca

Amazon basin

Paraguay River (international waterway)

Puerto Aguirre Puerto Aguirre is an important inland riverport in Bolivia near the border with Brazil. It is privately held by Central Aguirre Ltd. It is part of the municipality of Puerto Quijarro Puerto Quijarro is a Bolivian city and an inland river port ...

Puerto Busch Puerto Busch is a Bolivian locality in the province of Germán Busch, Santa Cruz Department, on the Paraguay River, in southeastern Bolivia. It is named in honor of General Germán Busch, who fought in the Chaco War. The area, actually a corrid ...

Puerto Quijarro Puerto Quijarro is a Bolivian city and an inland river port and situated on the Tamengo Canal in Bolivia, by the border with Brazil. It is part of the province of Germán Busch in the Santa Cruz Department. The Tamengo Canal connects it to the i ...

Merchant marine

There is a total of 23 ships ( or over) totaling / in Bolivia.
Ships by type as below: (2008)

Airports

There are 1,009 airports in Bolivia as of 2008.

Pipelines

Crude oil Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological formations. The name ''petroleum'' covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crude ...

2,745 km * Liquid petroleum gas 47 km * Natural gas 4,883 km * Refined products 1,589 (2008)

References

''This article was adapted from the

CIA World Factbook ''The World Factbook'', also known as the ''CIA World Factbook'', is a reference resource produced by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) with almanac-style information about the countries of the world. The official print version is available ...

2009.''

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transport In Bolivia