Carnival by the Bus: 58,000+ Passengers Moved Through Cuenca's Terminal in Four Days
Chip Moreno
The Great Cuenca Shuffle
If you were anywhere near the Terminal Terrestre last Thursday through Sunday, you already know: Carnival moves people. The numbers are now in, and they confirm what the packed buses and snaking ticket lines made obvious.
Between February 13 and 16, Cuenca's main bus terminal processed:
- 58,000+ passenger departures
- 36,500+ passenger arrivals
That's nearly 95,000 individual trips through a single building in four days. For a city of around 600,000 people, that's a staggering amount of movement.
Where Was Everyone Going?
The top destinations out of Cuenca during Carnival won't surprise anyone who's lived here for a while. Guayaquil led the pack — the coast is always the number-one Carnival draw for Cuencanos looking for beach, sun, and seafood. After that, Quito, Loja, and regional highland destinations like Ambato (home of the famous Fiesta de las Flores y Frutas) rounded out the most popular routes.
The pattern is predictable but still impressive in scale: Cuenca essentially exports a significant chunk of its population to the coast every Carnival, then absorbs a wave of incoming tourists from other cities.
The Numbers in Context
To put this in perspective: Cuenca's Terminal Terrestre handles about 10,000-12,000 passenger movements on a normal day. During the Carnival peak, that surged to roughly 24,000 per day — more than double the usual volume.
And these are just the bus terminal numbers. They don't account for:
- Private car travel along the Cuenca-Guayaquil highway (E-35/E-582)
- Air travel from Cuenca's Mariscal Lamar airport
- Intercantonal buses to nearby destinations like Gualaceo, Girón, or Paute
The actual number of people entering and leaving Cuenca over Carnival weekend is significantly higher than what the terminal alone captured.
What Expats Should Take Away From This
If this was your first Carnival in Cuenca, you probably noticed the city felt different — quieter in some neighborhoods, louder in others. Here's how to use these numbers to plan smarter for next year:
Pre-Carnival (Thursday/Friday)
- Book intercity bus tickets in advance. The terminal hits capacity, and popular routes to the coast sell out. Buy tickets 2-3 days ahead if you're planning to travel.
- Avoid the terminal on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. That's peak departure chaos. If you must travel, go early Thursday morning or late Friday.
- Expect surge pricing on taxis and ride-shares near the terminal.
During Carnival (Saturday/Sunday)
- Cuenca empties out. Many local businesses close. Restaurants in the centro may have limited hours or shut down entirely. Stock up on groceries before the long weekend.
- The tourists arrive. While Cuencanos leave for the coast, visitors from other cities arrive. The historic center, Turi viewpoint, and Cajas become busier with domestic tourists.
- Water fights are real. If you're out and about in the centro during Carnival, you will get wet. Foam spray, water balloons, and buckets are standard. Protect your phone and embrace it.
Post-Carnival (Monday/Tuesday)
- The return wave is intense. Sunday evening and Monday are peak return travel. The terminal gets packed again. If you traveled, plan to return early Sunday or wait until Tuesday.
- The city takes a day to reset. Monday is a holiday (Carnival Monday extends through Tuesday in some businesses). Don't expect everything to be open and running normally until Wednesday.
A Smooth Operation
Credit where it's due: the Terminal Terrestre handled the surge without major incidents. Cuenca's bus terminal, located in the southern part of the city on Avenida España, is a relatively well-organized facility by Ecuadorian standards. Extra buses were added to high-demand routes, and additional staff managed crowd flow.
EMOV, the city's transit authority, also implemented temporary traffic management around the terminal to keep access roads from turning into parking lots.
Already Looking at Next Year?
Carnival 2027 falls on Saturday, March 6 (it shifts every year, always 40 days before Easter). If you're planning to travel, start thinking about it in early February. If you're planning to stay in Cuenca, stock the fridge, download some movies, and enjoy the rare quiet. It's one of the few weekends when you'll have Parque Calderón almost to yourself.
Source: El Mercurio
