Car hire and driving in Machala
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 ETR means 21 km (13 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 Machala
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machala to Cuenca | Ecuador | 114 km (71 mi) | about 1 h 45 min |
| Machala to Loja | Ecuador | 117 km (73 mi) | about 1 h 47 min |
| Machala to Guayaquil | Ecuador | 118 km (74 mi) | about 1 h 48 min |
| Machala to Eloy Alfaro | Ecuador | 122 km (76 mi) | about 1 h 52 min |
| Machala to Milagro | Ecuador | 132 km (82 mi) | about 2 h |
| Machala to Daule | Ecuador | 156 km (97 mi) | about 2 h 22 min |
| Machala to Sullana | Peru | 200 km (124 mi) | about 3 h 3 min |
| Machala to Piura | Peru | 227 km (141 mi) | about 3 h 28 min |
| Machala to San Martin | Peru | 228 km (142 mi) | about 3 h 29 min |
| Machala to Riobamba | Ecuador | 229 km (142 mi) | about 3 h 29 min |
| Machala to Portoviejo | Ecuador | 251 km (156 mi) | about 3 h 49 min |
| Machala to Quevedo | Ecuador | 254 km (158 mi) | about 3 h 52 min |
| Machala to Lima | Peru | 1,029 km (639 mi) | about 15 h 41 min |
| Machala to Bogotá | Colombia | 1,092 km (678 mi) | about 16 h 39 min |
| Machala to Quito | Ecuador | 373 km (232 mi) | about 5 h 41 min |
| Machala to Cali | Colombia | 836 km (520 mi) | about 12 h 45 min |
| Machala to Medellín | Colombia | 1,164 km (723 mi) | about 17 h 45 min |
| Machala to Callao | Peru | 1,026 km (638 mi) | about 15 h 39 min |
| Machala to Arequipa | Peru | 1,727 km (1,073 mi) | about 26 h 20 min |
| Machala to Trujillo | Peru | 550 km (342 mi) | about 8 h 23 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 Machala?
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.