By bus
Ecuador's comprehensive bus service makes getting around simple, with hundreds of bus companies plying the country's roads, often with dozens competing on the most popular routes. Levels of comfort can vary widely between companies: some have fleets of air-conditioned buses with TV, toilet and on-board snacks, while others run beaten-up old monsters with cracked windows, growling gears and belching exhausts. As a general rule, luxury buses (ask for an autobús de lujo ) travel the most popular long-distance routes, leaving regularly all day and night, and require passengers to have a pre-booked ticket.

The further into the backwaters you go, the more the standards of comfort are likely to drop. Ordinary buses will stop anywhere for anyone who wants to get on until every available crack of space has been filled - you're likely to end up sharing the aisle with a bag of clucking chickens and a fat sackful of corn. If you can, bring your luggage in with you and keep it in sight, but don't panic if it's put on the roof because it'll usually be covered in a tarpaulin to keep both the weather and light fingers at bay - don't feel shy about climbing up and checking it's secure. Fortunately, bus drivers are increasingly unwilling to let people ride on the roof, where they can get at your stuff. Obviously, the remoter the area, the less regular the buses will be, and generally speaking, the last bus isn't likely to be much after nightfall. At the margins of the bus network, pick-up trucks ( camionetas ), minibuses ( busetas ) and open-sided trucks converted to hold wooden benches ( rancheras ) often fill the vacuum. If you're unsure of the area you're travelling to, note that most drivers know their routes well and are happy for you to ask them to stop at your destination - they'll let you know when you've arrived. Also, for reasons of safety , avoid travelling at night on buses.

Larger towns usually have a main bus terminal ( terminal terrestre ), where all the long-distance bus companies are based. In smaller towns, company offices and departure points may be scattered around, though they're usually never very far from the central square or main thoroughfare. Out of town, it's easy to hail non-luxury class buses if you stand in a place where they have plenty of time to spot you; the standard gesture to flag one down is an apathetic point to the ground in the middle of the road next to you.

You can buy your fare from the conductor ( ayudante ) on board, who will come and collect it. Overcharging is uncommon, but keep an eye on what others are paying. To get off, make for the door and say " bajo " or " gracias ". Alternatively, if you can, it's always a good idea to buy your ticket in advance to guarantee yourself a seat, something you can do on all long-distance buses whether luxury class or not - seats towards the front are less prone to bumping and lurching. There's never much of a difference in price between companies unless it's a luxury bus, in which case fares will naturally be a little more expensive, but look around the terminal to see what sort of condition the different companies' buses are in - you'll soon get an idea who the best outfits are in any given area. Buses can be noisy however, what with onboard TVs and blaring music, so earplugs are often useful.

Local city buses in the larger towns generally carry a board in the window showing their route, with a list of street names and key landmarks. There's normally a flat fare (usually around $0.2), which you pay as you enter. Local buses often stop to pick up and put down anywhere on request, though in some city centres proper bus stops , marked " parada ", are respected.

By train
The old traveller's adage, that all the fun is in the getting there, is never truer than with Ecuador's trains . If you're in a hurry this is not the way to go; landslides, delays and problems are frequent and services are regularly suspended. The situation changes all the time, so check the current state of affairs first - South American Explorers is a good place to ask. When everything works, however, a train ride is a real treat; you can sit on the roof enjoying the scenery, while the train slowly rattles down the track.

The rail system once stretched from Guayaquil and Cuenca in the south to San Lorenzo near the Colombian coast in the north, but lack of funding, the rise of the roadbuilding, and a string of disruptions caused by landslides and El Niño events has left it a shadow of its former self. Four main routes remain: Riobamba to Durán, Quito to Riobamba, Quito to Cotopaxi, and Ibarra to San Lorenzo. At the time of writing, only two of these services were in operation, and then in restricted form. The first of these, the spectacular descent of the Andes from Riobamba to Durán, down the nariz del diablo , is currently running only three times weekly as far as Sibambe. The second, the Quito to Cotopaxi tourist train, goes every Sunday if there are enough people. The heart-stopping route down the mountains in the north from Ibarra to San Lorenzo was badly disrupted by the 1997-98 El Niño and hasn't been working for some time .

By air
Flying within Ecuador is a quick, convenient and relatively inexpensive way of getting around. There are three main domestic carriers, TAME, SAN (the domestic arm of Saeta) and Ecuatoriana, plus a number of local small-scale and charter companies, particularly on the coast. TAME offers the most extensive service, flying to most of the country's major centres, with ticket prices between roughly $30 and $60, apart from flights to the Galápagos Islands, which are disproportionately expensive . With internal flights it's particularly important to reconfirm your seat, as overbooking is not uncommon, though note that you can't book one in advance on most flights.

Driving
Given that so much of Ecuador is covered by regional and local buses, few travellers find it necessary to rent a car to get around. However, if you intend to zoom around the country in a short space of time, or want to get to really off-the-beaten-track destinations, renting your own vehicle is a fast and convenient option. You will need to be at least 25 years old and have a major credit card for the deposit. Theoretically, you only need your national licence to rent a vehicle, but you're strongly advised to bring an international licence as well - the Ecuadorian police, who frequently stop drivers to check their documents, are often suspicious of unfamiliar foreign licences and much happier when dealing with international ones. Note that the national speed limit is 100km per hour on highways (or less if indicated), and usually around 50km per hour in towns or urban areas.

Hitching
While hitching is not recommended as a safe way of getting about, particularly in rural areas, it's widely practised by Ecuadorians. For backpackers, the bus service is such that you'll only really need to hitch in the remoter areas - you're most likely to get a ride in the back of a pick-up truck, the preferred private vehicle in rural Ecuador. As with stopping a bus, face the oncoming vehicle and point vaguely at the road a few yards from your feet. The etiquette is to ask " ¿Cuánto le debo? " ("How much do I owe you?") at the end of the journey, at which point you may be asked to pay a small amount, rarely more than the bus fare would have been, or let off for free. If you're worried about being overcharged, ask " ¿Cuánto sería? " ("How much would it be?") before climbing aboard.

By taxi
Most towns in Ecuador have a fleet of yellow taxis - in some Oriente towns, white pick-up trucks ( camionetas ) take their place. Only in Quito are you going to find metered taxis ; everywhere else taxis operate on a fixed-fare system, with a standard short journey typically costing around $1. If you're dropping someone off, the driver will often charge this as an extra journey, even if it's only a few hundred metres from your final destination. For longer distances and in larger towns, such as Guayaquil, the fixed rate doesn't apply, and it's far more difficult to know what the fares should be. Most drivers are honest, but the best way to avoid being ripped off is to ask locals what the standard fares are to various destinations. Always agree the price with the driver beforehand, and don't be afraid to haggle.

Taxis are also sometimes the best way of getting to out of the way places like national parks or mountain refuges, particularly if you're in a group and can share the cost. Hiring a taxi by the day could cost anywhere between $40-60; some taxi drivers will increase the price for bigger groups. Needless to say, there's always room for negotiation

By boat
Boat travel can make a pleasant change to buses, though your exposure to the elements means that you can get either very cold and wet if it rains or, conversely, badly sunburnt if it doesn't (river or sea breezes create a deceptive cool - you may not realize you're being burnt till it's too late). Unless you're on a private boat transport to a smart jungle lodge, seats are invariably wooden and thoroughly uncomfortable. Bring something to sit on and keep food and water with you, as the bulk of your luggage will usually be put under wraps at the front of the boat.

The most likely place you'll end up in a boat is in the Oriente , where the best of the jungle is often a boat ride away. On the coast , you might have to take a boat between Cojimíes and Muisne (or Daule), and many people still opt for the ride through the mangroves between San Lorenzo and La Tola rather than taking the new coastal road via Borbón. A chartered boat ( flete ) is always much more expensive than going on a public one, though you can reduce costs by gathering a group as the fare is fixed for the journey regardless of the number of passengers. Travel around the Galápagos Islands is almost exclusively by boat; refer to that section for details.

By bicycle
Cycling can offer unrivalled closeness to the land and its people, though rental outlets are thin on the ground and aren't usually equipped with bikes suitable for extended rides. For proper cycle touring, you're best off bringing your own bike from home; airlines usually don't have a problem transporting them if packed in bike boxes with the pedals removed. You're unlikely to want to stay solely on the busy, surfaced, though often pot-holed roads, and a mountain bike is almost certainly better than a conventional touring bike. A range of low gear ratios (many models now have 27 gears) will make the long highland climbs more tolerable when loaded up. Bicycle repair shops ( talleres de bicicletas ) are far more widespread than bike shops, but will only have parts for rudimentary repairs - bring a comprehensive tool kit and a selection of essential spares. When planning your route , don't forget that at altitude you won't be able to cover anywhere near the distances per day that you do at home: reckon on about half.

In the UK, the CTC (Cyclists' Touring Club), 69 Meadrow, Godalming, Surrey GU7 3HS (tel 01483/417217, www.ctc.org.uk ) is an excellent source of information for cycle tourists, and has fact sheets on a range of subjects including recommended itineraries for touring in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. Adult annual membership is £25.