Car hire and driving in Cuenca
Driving distances to the cities around, the rules that change at the border, and where to compare rental prices.
In Ecuador traffic drives on the right. Picking up at CUE means 1 km (1 mi) into the centre before the trip starts. The emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648794 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648798 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648848.
Drives from Cuenca
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cuenca to Milagro | Ecuador | 108 km (67 mi) | about 1 h 38 min |
| Cuenca to Machala | Ecuador | 114 km (71 mi) | about 1 h 45 min |
| Cuenca to Eloy Alfaro | Ecuador | 124 km (77 mi) | about 1 h 53 min |
| Cuenca to Loja | Ecuador | 124 km (77 mi) | about 1 h 54 min |
| Cuenca to Guayaquil | Ecuador | 126 km (78 mi) | about 1 h 55 min |
| Cuenca to Riobamba | Ecuador | 142 km (88 mi) | about 2 h 10 min |
| Cuenca to Daule | Ecuador | 158 km (98 mi) | about 2 h 25 min |
| Cuenca to Ambato | Ecuador | 188 km (117 mi) | about 2 h 52 min |
| Cuenca to Quevedo | Ecuador | 214 km (133 mi) | about 3 h 16 min |
| Cuenca to Latacunga | Ecuador | 222 km (138 mi) | about 3 h 23 min |
| Cuenca to Portoviejo | Ecuador | 261 km (162 mi) | about 3 h 58 min |
| Cuenca to Manta | Ecuador | 290 km (180 mi) | about 4 h 25 min |
| Cuenca to Lima | Peru | 1,040 km (646 mi) | about 15 h 52 min |
| Cuenca to Bogotá | Colombia | 997 km (620 mi) | about 15 h 13 min |
| Cuenca to Quito | Ecuador | 301 km (187 mi) | about 4 h 35 min |
| Cuenca to Cali | Colombia | 755 km (469 mi) | about 11 h 31 min |
| Cuenca to Medellín | Colombia | 1,085 km (674 mi) | about 16 h 33 min |
| Cuenca to Maracaibo | Venezuela | 1,713 km (1,064 mi) | about 26 h 7 min |
| Cuenca to Barquisimeto | Venezuela | 1,793 km (1,114 mi) | about 27 h 21 min |
| Cuenca to Callao | Peru | 1,039 km (645 mi) | about 15 h 50 min |
Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.
Where to compare car hire
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Common questions
Which side of the road do they drive on in Cuenca?
The right, as everywhere in Ecuador.
How are the journey times on this page worked out?
From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.