Safety of Buenaventura to Pereira bus?

Thanks everyone for the replies to my question about the Cartagena to Medellin buses.

I am now curious about the safety of the Buenaventura to Pereira buses. I have seen a lot of threads about the violence situation in Buenaventura. However, I am mostly wondering about the safety of the actual bus itself and the risk of crashes.

Has anyone had any experience driving this route? Does does this route go through as many mountains as the Cartagena-Medellin route does? I guess I should also ask, does service between Buenaventura and Pereira even exist?

By AmyH81 on May 11, 2008, 03:53 in Travel tips.

TimH says on May 11, 2008, 07:23:

Don`t know about from Pereira but there is one company that do the route Armenia - Buenaventura - can`t remember the name of the company but the bus leaves between 8.00am and 9.00am. It is conceivable this bus starts in Pereira. Journey from Armenia took about 5 1/2 hours. I did the route 18 months ago and didn`t think it was particularly dangerous.

It´s better to be silent and thought a fool than open your mouth and prove the fact....

nueva york bombero says on May 11, 2008, 07:43:

My friend in Buenaventura travels weekly to Cali. This is a routine bus journey.
You can access a different route north, but I think it is too long and dangerous.
I think you have to travel towards Cali, then on to Pereira.
Good Luck!
One Question..... Why?

Morrongo says on May 11, 2008, 15:33:

Transport between Pereira and Buenaventura not a problem.
Safety wise the journey is pretty regular. When you pass the road toll,60km from Buenaventura,you are straight into the mountain pass, twenty minutos and 5 tunnels and you are through..not a lot to see..the river and rail track below.
This part of the journey can be very busy with port traffic, large lorries,buses and cars all fighting for road advantage...yes accidents are frequent but very rare fatal...the journey is not a factor, not to go.

vicshere says on May 11, 2008, 15:52:

but be careful in Buenaventura

listo

durito says on May 11, 2008, 16:23:

As others said, be careful in and around Buenaventura, but the trip from there to Cali should be fine. Cali to Peirera is perfectly fine, I've done this trip a few times in the last year.

lampltr says on May 11, 2008, 17:37:

FYI to all, security has changed much in the Valle Del Cauca (Do not know anything else about others), region...my wife reported back to me as many locals are at risk and are being singled out do to people in much decline financially and the lack of food and work within the last quarter. She now refuses to even take any "LOCAL" busses and will only call on taxi's certified or if private that are well known family to family even though the costs are way too much! I am not exaggerating here. If taking distant buses, do your homework very well before traveling as not all roadblocks are good ones.

TimH says on May 11, 2008, 17:50:

Why go to Cali ? You`ve got to be adding a good 3 hours to your journey time minimum. If you look on a map the direct route from Pereira to Buenaventure is NOT via Cali. If you`re going direct surely a bus to Buga and change in Buga is a better option than Cali.

For me Buenaventure is a dump of a place, the type of place that gives seaports a bad name. When you arrive at the bus station you are surrounded by people trying to convince you to buy a passage to their beach resort which is the cleanest beach in Colombia and has the whitest sand and as for whales "Well, only last week, there were 17 species of whales only 5 metres from the shore" .

It says something when the price from Armenia to Buenaventura is 15,000 pesos, but the return price Buenaventura to Armenia is 17,500 pesos - one last opportunity to fleece the tourist.

It´s better to be silent and thought a fool than open your mouth and prove the fact....

Morrongo says on May 11, 2008, 18:51:

Perhaps when i wrote....Transport between Pereira and Buenaventura is not a problem..... i should of highlighted that there is no need to go through Cali like TimH mentioned

Do not agreed with TimH comments that Buenaventura is out to fleece tourists. Its no different than any other tourist area...

vicshere says on May 11, 2008, 19:33:

Buenaventura is out to fleece tourists

hey when I was there they were charging each person 70,000 to cross over to the beach....that's a fleece job...when I was in Santa Marta it runs less than 10,000 a head

listo

Peter (Moderator) says on May 12, 2008, 00:01:

Just remember to sing "en bus a pereira" on the tune of Sade's "smooth operator" ;)

Poor but snappy

nueva york bombero says on May 13, 2008, 15:26:

Hey! Be careful what you say about Buenaventura!
I gave a clear description of what I saw there and was attacked on PBH!
Must have been a gringo / Colombian thing!!!
It is a dump, but I have a very good freind who lives there.