Diesel Shortage Strands Travelers in El Alto: Bus Services Drastically Cut, Fares Soar

EL ALTO, Bolivia – A severe diesel shortage has brought inter-departmental travel from El Alto's metropolitan bus terminal to a near standstill, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded and frustrated. Transport companies have been forced to drastically reduce their services, with available tickets selling out almost immediately. According to reports from the terminal, securing a bus ticket to destinations such as Santa Cruz has become 'almost impossible.' One passenger, desperate to return to Cochabamba for work, expressed her despair, stating, 'I need to return to Cochabamba. I work and live there. I came for one day and now I find there are no tickets. The situation is desperate.' Transport companies confirm the dire situation. An employee from one company stated, 'Only three fleets were able to be enabled for Santa Cruz this Monday, and all seats were already sold out very early.' She added that they are not selling tickets in advance, waiting for diesel supplies to be replenished before resuming sales. This fuel scarcity is exacerbated by the ongoing school holiday season, trapping families who had planned to travel. Passengers are caught between the severe lack of available buses and soaring ticket prices, with some reporting fares to Santa Cruz as high as 300 Bolivianos, a price deemed 'very expensive.' The ongoing diesel shortage continues to cause widespread disruption and economic hardship for travelers in El Alto.

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La falta de combustible reduce las salidas de viaje en El Alto …

1752573722 La falta de combustible reduce las salidas de viaje en El Alto ♬ sonido original - UNITEL BOLIVIA - UNITEL BOLIVIA eju.tv Tiktok by UNITE…