Getting from the airport to the city in Bolivia

You land at 4,060 m. That is higher than almost any airport you have used, and higher than La Paz itself. The drive down the Autopista into the city drops you to about 3,650 m, which genuinely helps. Move slowly, do not carry your own bags up stairs, and do not plan anything for the rest of the day.

• Official taxi (Cotranstur) - 60 to 90 BOB for a sedan to central La Paz, 120 to 200 BOB for a larger vehicle. Desk inside arrivals and a rank outside, 24 hours, 30 to 45 minutes. Agree the fare at the desk.
• Yango or Uber - 50 to 80 BOB, 30 to 45 minutes, from the curb outside. Yango is the stronger of the two in Bolivia.
• Minibus (trufi) line 212 - 3.50 to 5 BOB, 45 to 60 minutes to Plaza San Francisco, every 5 to 10 minutes from 06:00 to 21:00. The stop is outside the airport perimeter gates. Cheap, and not what you want with luggage on your first night at altitude.
• Minibus plus Mi Teleferico - about 8 BOB total. A minibus to Jach'a Qhatu (red line) or 6 de Marzo (silver line) in El Alto, then the cable car down into La Paz, 35 to 50 minutes. This is the best-value arrival in daylight and the descent over the city is spectacular. Cable cars run 06:00 to 22:30 Monday to Saturday and 07:00 to 21:00 on Sunday.

Santa Cruz sits at 400 m, so no altitude issue at all - it is hot and tropical instead. Taxis and Yango run into the city centre and to Equipetrol, and the journey takes about 30 minutes.

In both airports, use the official desk or the app. Unlicensed drivers approaching arrivals are the usual overcharge, and in Bolivia an unlicensed taxi is also the vehicle used for paseo millonario express kidnapping.