Travel to Ecuador

Ecuador: Various travel information

How do you get to Ecuador?

From Europe you will certainly only travel to Ecuador by plane.

SAN (WB) and TAME (EQ) are Ecuador’s national airlines. Ecuatoriana (EU) connects Ecuador with North and South America. Iberia, KLM, Air Europa, Air France and others offer connections to Quito.

Travel in the country

Railway

There are the railway lines Riobamba – Sibambe (100 km), Ibarra – Primer Paso/Tulicn (52 km) and. Before starting your journey, you should find out exactly whether there are trains running.

Bus

The bus connections are good and mostly faster than in the other Andean countries, as more asphalt roads are available. Reservations are required on the routes between Quito and Guayaquil and from Quito to the other major cities in the highlands.

Roads

The road network is extensive, but driving conditions vary widely. Some roads are being renovated, but many roads have large potholes and cracks due to earthquakes and floods (in the south). The roads between Quito and Guayaquil and between Quito and Latacunga, Ambato and Riobamba are completely paved.

Car rental

There are international car rental companies in Ecuador (Hertz, Avis, Budget, Ecuacar, National CarRental).

The driver must be at least 21 years old. A valid international driver’s license is also required. The renter must present an international credit card when collecting the vehicle.

International license plate

According to Abbreviationfinder, the international license plate of Ecuador is:

EC

Embassies, consulates and tourist office

Visit Countryaah for a full list of Ecuador embassies and consulates in each country around the world.

Representations of Ecuador in Germany

The building of the Embassy of Ecuador is located in a 13-story high-rise building on Joachimstaler Strasse at the corner of Kurfürstendamm. Since there are hardly any free parking spaces in the vicinity of the embassy, it is advisable to use public transport or take a taxi. Directly in front of the embassy is one of the entrances to the “Kurfürstendamm” underground station on the U1 and U9 lines, and the “Zoologischer Bahnhnhof” station is approx. 500 m away.

Embassy of the Republic of Ecuador in Berlin

Joachimstaler Straße 10-12

10719 Berlin

Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 800 96 95

Fax: 0049 – (0) 30 – 800 96 96 99

Consulate General of the Republic of Ecuador in Hamburg

Rothenbaumchaussee 221

20149 Hamburg

Tel: 0049 – (0) 40 – 44 31 35

Fax: 0049 – (0) 40 – 410 31 35

Email: Consulado-hamburgo@embajada-ecuador.org

Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Ecuador in Bremen

Breitenweg

29/33 28195 Bremen

Tel: 0049 – (0) 421 – 30 92 32 02 95

Fax: 0049 – (0) 421 – 30 92 43 2

Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Ecuador in Frankfurt

Berliner Strasse 60

60311 Frankfurt am Main

Tel: 0049 – (0) 69 – 13 32 295

Fax: 0049 – (0) 69 – 13 32 726

Email: Konsulat.Frankfurt@consuldor.de

Further honorary consulates can be found in: Dresden, Munich, Stolberg

German representations in Ecuador

Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Quito

Edificio Citiplaza, piso 14

Avenida Naciones Unidades & Republica de El Salvador

Casilla 17-17-536

Quito

Tel: 00593 – (0) 2 – 297 08 20

Fax: 00593 – (0) 2 – 297 08 15

Email: info@quito.diplo.de

Web: www.quito.diplo.de

Consulates

Honorary Consulate in Cuenca

c/o Transoceánica Cia. Ltda., Bolivar 9 – 18 y Benigno Malo

Cuenca

Tel: 00593 – (0) 7 – 283 88 36

Fax: 00593 – (0) 7 – 283 14 79

Email: eklinkicht@transoceanica.com.ec

Honorary Consulate in Guayaquil

Avenida Las Monjas No. 10, Edificio Berlin, 1 er piso

Guayaquil

Tel: 00593 – (0) 4 – 220 68 67

00593 – (0) 4 – 220 68 68

Fax: 00593 – (0) 4 – 220 68 69

Email: consulado.aleman@grupoberlin.com

Honorary Consulate in Manta

Industrias Ales, Av. 113 y Calle 110

Manta

Tel: 00593 – (0) 5 – 292 35 77

Fax: 00593 – (0) 5 – 292 04 70

Email: wharten@ales.com.ec

Austrian representations in Ecuador

Embassy

The responsible embassy is the embassy in Colombia in Bogota.

Honorary Consulate in Guayaquil (without passport authorization)

Avenida Jorge Pérez Concha 718/Circunvalación Sur 718

Urdesa, Guayaquil

Tel: 00593 – (0) 4 – 238 48 86

Fax: 00593 – (0) 4 – 238 48 86

Email: sotomay@gye.satnet.net

Honorary Consulate General in Quito (with passport authorization)

Gaspar de Villaroel No. E9-53, entre Av. de los Shyris y 6 de Diciembre

Quito

Tel: 00593 – (0) 2 – 246 97 00

Fax: 00593 – (0) 2 – 244 32 76

Email: przibra@interactive.net.ec

Representations of Ecuador in Austria

Embassy of the Republic of Ecuador in Vienna

Goldschmiedgasse 10/2/24

1010 Vienna

Tel: 0043 – (0) 1 – 535 32 08

Tel: 0043 – (0) 1 – 535 32 18

Fax: 0043 – (0) 1 – 535 08 97

Email: mecaustria@chello.at

Swiss representations in Ecuador

Embassy in Quito

Juan Pablo Sanz y Avenida Amazonas 3617, Edificio Xerox, 2do piso

Casilla 17-11-4815

Quito

Tel: 00593 – 2 – 243 41 13

Tel: 00593 – 2 – 243 49 48

Tel: 00593 – 2 – 243 49 49

Fax: 00593 – 2 – 244 93 14

Email: qui.vertretung@eda.admin.ch

Web: www.eda.admin.ch/quito

Consulate General in Guayaquil

Edificio Conauto, 5to piso, Avenida Juan Tanca Marengo, km 1.8 y Santiago Castillo (Diagonal a Dicentro)

Guayaquil

Tel: 00593 – 42 681 900

Fax: 00593 – 42 681 997

Email: guayaquil@honorarvertretung.ch

Representations of Ecuador in Switzerland

Embassy of the Republic of Ecuador in Bern

Kramgasse 54

3011 Bern

Tel: 0041 – (0) 31 – 351 62 54

Fax: 0041 – (0) 31 – 351 27 71

Email: embecusuiza@bluewin.ch

Consulate of the Republic of Ecuador

Wallstrasse 8

4051 Bâle

Tel: 0041 – (0) 61 – 272 03 03

Fax: 0041 – (0) 61 – 271 03 12

Email: urs.groeflin@bluemail.ch

Consulate of the Republic of Ecuador in Lausanne

Av. de Morges 26

1002 Lausanne

Email: ceculausanne@mmrree.gov.ec

Consulate of the Republic of Ecuador in Zollikon

Forchstrasse 452

8702 Zollikon

Tel: 0041 – (0) 44 – 396 91 91

Fax: 0041 – (0) 44 – 396 91 92

Email: consulecuador@ml-law.ch

Tourist office

Ecuador’s Tourism Promotion Fund

(Fondo Mixto de Promoción Turística del Ecuador)

Tel: 00593 – (0) 2 – 25 07 560

Fax: 00593 – (0) 2 – 25 07 565

E-mail: fmpt_europa@turismo.gov.ec

Ecuador: entry and exit regulations

Formalities, visas

Tourists are only allowed to enter the country if they have a return ticket and sufficient financial resources to finance their stay in the country themselves. For a stay of up to 90 days in Ecuador, a European tourist with a passport that is valid for at least six months can enter Ecuador without obtaining a visa. The entry stamp at the airport shows: (T-3 = 30 days, T-6 = 60 days, T-9 = 90 days). The German child ID card is not recognized, but the entry of a child in a parent’s passport is recognized. Please make sure that your visa is valid until you leave the country. An extension beyond 90 days can be requested from the responsible Ecuadorian authority.

Issuing of visas in Germany

Jefatura de Migración

Isla Seymor y Río Coca

Quito

Tel 00593 – (0) 2 – 245 0578

Questions answered

Dirección Nacional de Migración

Av. Amazonas 3149 y República

Quito

Tel. 00593 – (0) 2 – 245 12 22

Unlimited import and export of foreign currency

Departure fee

In many countries, a fee must be paid when leaving the country. In Ecuador it is around US $ 40.

Import and export of goods The import and export of weapons, ammunition or explosives is strictly prohibited. In addition, the import and export of plants and animals protected under the Washington Species Protection Act is prohibited. Violation can result in severe penalties. The import and export of antiques, religious objects or electronic devices may also be prohibited. Therefore, it is better to consult the embassy before entering the country.

Ecuador: Travel Medicine, Vaccinations, and Warnings

Infectious diseases

In Ecuador, the following infectious diseases, which are not or less common in Germany or Central and Northern Europe, are to be expected:

  • Malaria, year-round risk, with the exception of Quito, the Galapagos Islands and the country’s highlands. About 35% of the infections occur with the very dangerous malaria tropica, the rest with malaria tertiana.
  • Chagas disease
  • cholera
  • Dengue fever disease
  • Intestinal infections caused by contaminated food or water, including amoebas, lamblia, salmonella, shigella, worm infestation and all kinds of viruses and bacteria
  • Filariasis, but only in some areas in the northwest of the country
  • Yellow fever
  • Hepatitis A and B
  • Leishmaniasis Disease
  • Polio, polio
  • Plague, occurring in the province of Chimborazo
  • tetanus
  • Rabies, an infection risk only exists with travelers who can come into contact with the vector animals.
  • Typhoid fever, an infection risk only exists for travelers who come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food.

Recommended vaccinations

when traveling to Ecuador, the following vaccinations recommended:

  • Diphtheria, a vaccination against diphtheria should always exist in your home country.
  • Yellow fever, absolutely !!
  • Hepatitis A and B, vaccination against hepatitis B, is only required for people who may come into contact with human blood in any way.
  • Polio, polio, a vaccination against polio should always exist, also in the home country.
  • Meningococcal meningitis, such vaccination protection should always exist in the home country.
  • Tetanus, a vaccination against tetanus should always exist in the home country.
  • Rabies, but only in high-risk travelers who can come into contact with the vector animals.
  • Typhoid, but only in travelers who may come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food.

Compulsory vaccination

There is a compulsory vaccination against a yellow fever disease for all persons older than 1 year and who come from a yellow fever infection area designated by the WHO.

Since Ecuador itself is one of the yellow fever infection areas, a vaccination against yellow fever is urgently recommended.

Malaria prophylaxis

When traveling to the country, especially when traveling to the areas mentioned above, it is strongly advised to undergo malaria prophylaxis. If the side effects seem questionable to you, you should at least have a “stand-by product” with you.

Current warnings

Foreign Office (AA) of the Federal Republic of Germany

Citizens’ Service

Phone: 0049 – (0) 30 – 5000 – 2000

Fax: 0049 – (0) 30 – 5000 – 51000

www.auswaertiges-amt.de

Ecuador: currency, shopping and exchange rate

The national currency of Ecuador was the “sucre” until 2000 , after which time it is the US dollar (USD).

Exchange rate

You can find a currency converter here:

www.forium.de

Bank opening hours

  • Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Saturday: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Shop

Shop opening times

  • Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Cheap or country-specific goods, souvenirs

Jewelry made of black coral, figures made of balsa wood or tagua (vegetable ebony), saddles and bridles, bread dough figures, straw hats, sheep’s wool carpets, mesh bags made of palm fibers, leather goods.

For the black coral see the comment at the end!

Travel to Ecuador