How to cross the Ponte da Amizade on foot?

The bridge is 550 m with a protected walkway. The crossing takes about 15 minutes, and the Ciudad del Este center is 15-20 minutes away on foot from the other side.

Are there buses from Foz to Ciudad del Este?

Yes. At the TTU in downtown Foz there is an urban line to the Ponte da Amizade and an international line that crosses customs and drops you in Ciudad del Este.

Is it worth driving to Ciudad del Este?

The customs queue can be long during peak hours. Those who go only for shopping usually prefer to park near the bridge and walk.

Foz do Iguaçu to Ciudad del Este: on foot, by bus or by car (2026)

The most practical way is on foot: take a bus, taxi or app to the Friendship Bridge, cross the 550 metres in about 15 minutes on the pedestrian walkway, then walk 15 to 20 minutes to the shopping district. There is also an international bus from the TTU that clears customs directly. Driving works off-peak. Bring valid photo ID or a passport.

Direct answer: The most practical way is on foot: take a bus, taxi or app to the Friendship Bridge, cross the 550 metres in about 15 minutes on the pedestrian walkway, then walk another 15 to 20 minutes to the shopping district. There is also an international bus from the TTU terminal that clears customs directly. Driving is possible, but the customs queue is long at peak times. Bring a valid photo ID or passport.

It is 7 km from central Foz do Iguaçu to central Ciudad del Este, but the trip is not measured in distance: it is measured in queueing. Pick the right mode and you cross in 15 minutes; pick wrong and you sit in a car for an hour.

The three options, compared

How	Time	Cost	When it makes sense
On foot across the walkway	~15 min crossing	free (plus transport to the bridge)	almost always, especially at peak
International bus (TTU)	~30-40 min door to door	a few reais	no walking, no rush
By car	15 min to over an hour	fuel and parking	off-peak, or with heavy purchases

On foot: what most people do

The Friendship Bridge is 550 metres long with a protected pedestrian walkway on both sides. The crossing takes about 15 minutes at a normal pace.

You reach the approach by city bus, taxi or app — Uber and 99 will take you to the bridge but do not cross the border (see does Uber work at the triple border?). From the far end to the shopping district is another 15 to 20 minutes on foot, or a motorcycle taxi, common on both sides.

On the Paraguayan side Bolt and MUV work and solve the last stretch, particularly on the way back with bags.

By bus

At the TTU (Urban Transport Terminal) in central Foz there are two options:

the urban "Ponte da Amizade" line, which drops you before the bridge to walk across
the international line, on the outer side of the terminal, which clears customs and stops in Ciudad del Este

The international one is more comfortable, but on a busy day it sits in the same queue as the cars.

By car

This is the option with the widest range. Off-peak, you cross quickly. On a Saturday morning, the eve of a holiday or a big retail promotion date, the customs queue runs over an hour. Add the difficulty of parking in Ciudad del Este.

If you are in a rental car, check with the rental company first: most contracts do not allow leaving the country, and crossing without authorisation voids the insurance.

Timing: the earlier the better

Shops in Ciudad del Este open early, around 7am, and close at 4pm Brasília time. Bridge traffic builds through the morning. On Sundays only about 10% of stores open, from 8am to noon — Sunday is not a shopping day. See the best time to cross without queueing.

Before you go

Check the bridge queue now, how much you can bring back under the US$500 allowance and what is worth buying in Ciudad del Este.

Source: Combo Iguassu · shop hours and apps checked 10 September 2026

How to go from Foz to Ciudad del Este: bus, walking or car