The airport is not in La Paz. It sits on the plateau in El Alto, a separate city above the canyon where most visitors stay. That makes the ride into town a descent. TravelHealthPro, the UK's travel health service, gives El Alto's altitude as 4,150 m and La Paz's as 3,630 m, so a hotel in La Paz puts you roughly 500 metres below the plateau for your first night. The CDC Yellow Book gives La Paz as about 3,650 m. Either figure makes that difference useful.
How do I get from El Alto airport to La Paz?
According to NAABOL's FAQ, taxi ranks and public transport stops are in the outer arrivals area. For La Paz, it names two options: taxis and the municipal PumaKatari bus. Exchange houses and ATMs that accept international cards are in both arrivals and departures, so you can get bolivianos before you leave the terminal.
| Option | Where you board | What we could confirm | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radio taxi | Rank outside arrivals | NAABOL links a La Paz taxi fare chart; agree the price before you set off | Luggage, late arrivals, families, anyone feeling the altitude |
| PumaKatari bus | Public transport stop outside arrivals | Named by NAABOL; route, stops and fare not published on the pages we read | Light packers arriving in daytime |
| Taxi to a cable car station, then Mi Teleférico | A station in El Alto | No station at the airport; lines run 06:30-22:30 Mon-Sat, 07:00-21:00 Sun | Light luggage, hotels near a station |
Radio taxis
The US State Department's Bolivia country page tells travellers to use only marked "radio" taxis with the company's name and telephone number on the roof. It is the clearest official rule for an airport arrival. Under "Tarifario de taxis para La Paz", the NAABOL El Alto airport page links to a taxi fare chart hosted on Google My Maps. We could not read the fares from that map, so we don't quote a price. Open the chart on your phone using the airport's free Wi-Fi and agree the total with the driver before loading bags.
The same NAABOL page lists a Bs 6 toll for four-wheeled vehicles using the airport road. Ask the driver whether the agreed fare includes it.
PumaKatari bus
The PumaKatari is run by the La Paz municipality. NAABOL lists it as an airport option, but the municipal pages we searched gave no route, timetable or fare for an airport service. Its fares may also change. On 23 September 2026 the mayor said that removing the diesel subsidy under Supreme Decree 5716 could force a PumaKatari fare increase unless the national government eased costs. Ask the airport information desk where to board and how much the fare is on the day.
Mi Teleférico from El Alto
The cable car network doesn't reach the terminal. Doppelmayr, which built it, lists every station, and none is at the airport. What the network does well is the descent: the Amarilla line drops 666 metres between Mirador in El Alto and Libertador in La Paz. If your hotel is near a station, a short taxi to an El Alto station and then a cable car is an option. Check whether the line is running first: usual hours are 06:30 to 22:30 Monday to Saturday and 07:00 to 21:00 on Sundays. The official pages we read say nothing about luggage limits, so this option suits a small bag better than two suitcases. Our Mi Teleférico guide covers lines, fares and cards.
What does the altitude do on the first day?
The plane takes you to altitude faster than your body can adjust. According to the CDC, arriving in one day at a sleeping altitude above 3,400 m puts a traveller in the high-risk group for acute mountain sickness (AMS), and it names La Paz as an example. Symptoms usually begin 2 to 12 hours after arrival. The main one is headache, with one or more of loss of appetite, dizziness, fatigue or nausea. The NHS gives a slightly different window of 6 to 10 hours. Either way, many travellers feel fine when they land and worse that night.
Being fit doesn't protect you. The CDC says training and fitness do not affect the risk, and that children are as susceptible as adults. The State Department advises travellers who are pregnant or have existing medical conditions to consult a doctor before the trip. The CDC names coronary artery disease and chronic lung disease among the conditions that call for a specialist's advice.
The descent into La Paz helps. The CDC notes that in La Paz and Cusco travellers can go down to sleep below the airport's elevation for one or two nights before climbing higher, which may make medicine unnecessary. In practice, that means choosing a bed in La Paz rather than El Alto for the first nights, and not starting with a trip higher up.
What should I do on the first evening?
Pack enough of any medicine you take. The UK Foreign Office's Bolivia health page warns that some medicines are in short supply in Bolivia and advises bringing enough for your whole stay.
When the plan changes
If you land at night or after a long connection and feel unwell, take a radio taxi rather than looking for the bus stop. Weather can also change the plan: on 24 August 2026, NAABOL temporarily suspended operations at El Alto because of snow and low visibility. Build some slack into any same-day connection.
On the day, check two things before you leave the terminal: the taxi's roof sign and the fare you agreed. Then, in La Paz, check how you feel over the next twelve hours. If a headache gets worse despite rest and a painkiller, that is the point to get medical advice. Don't wait for a planned trip higher up.