Car hire and driving in Quito
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 UIO means 22 km (14 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 Quito
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quito to Santo Domingo de los Colorados | Ecuador | 72 km (45 mi) | about 1 h 6 min |
| Quito to Ibarra | Ecuador | 78 km (49 mi) | about 1 h 12 min |
| Quito to Latacunga | Ecuador | 79 km (49 mi) | about 1 h 12 min |
| Quito to Ambato | Ecuador | 114 km (71 mi) | about 1 h 44 min |
| Quito to Quevedo | Ecuador | 137 km (85 mi) | about 2 h 5 min |
| Quito to Riobamba | Ecuador | 160 km (100 mi) | about 2 h 27 min |
| Quito to Esmeraldas | Ecuador | 182 km (113 mi) | about 2 h 47 min |
| Quito to Pasto | Colombia | 212 km (132 mi) | about 3 h 14 min |
| Quito to Portoviejo | Ecuador | 233 km (145 mi) | about 3 h 33 min |
| Quito to Daule | Ecuador | 243 km (151 mi) | about 3 h 42 min |
| Quito to Milagro | Ecuador | 243 km (151 mi) | about 3 h 42 min |
| Quito to Manta | Ecuador | 258 km (160 mi) | about 3 h 56 min |
| Quito to Lima | Peru | 1,324 km (823 mi) | about 20 h 11 min |
| Quito to Bogotá | Colombia | 730 km (454 mi) | about 11 h 8 min |
| Quito to Caracas | Venezuela | 1,755 km (1,090 mi) | about 26 h 46 min |
| Quito to Guayaquil | Ecuador | 266 km (165 mi) | about 4 h 3 min |
| Quito to Cali | Colombia | 464 km (288 mi) | about 7 h 5 min |
| Quito to Medellín | Colombia | 791 km (492 mi) | about 12 h 4 min |
| Quito to Maracaibo | Venezuela | 1,430 km (889 mi) | about 21 h 49 min |
| Quito to Valencia | Venezuela | 1,640 km (1,019 mi) | about 25 h 1 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 Quito?
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 13 September 2026. Hotel 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.