La Paz residents gained access to two new public transit routes on Monday, extending bus service into colonias that previously had no direct connection to the city center. The routes, dubbed Esterito and Calafia, represent the first expansion of the municipal bus network in years and aim to reduce commute times for thousands of riders in the Baja California Sur capital.
Two Routes Now Serve 42 Colonias With 23 New Buses
The Esterito route runs 23 kilometers and connects 22 colonias to central La Paz. The Calafia route covers 19 kilometers and links 20 colonias. Together, the two lines deploy 23 new buses across the city. Municipal transit officials said service began at 6 a.m. on Monday, June 16, with buses running until 10:30 p.m. daily.
The base fare is 13 pesos (about $0.65 USD). Students, seniors, and people with disabilities pay a reduced fare of 6.50 pesos ($0.33 USD). Riders will be able to pay using a rechargeable electronic card system that the city plans to activate alongside the new routes.
La Paz Mayor Rubén Muñoz presented the buses at a public event and called the expansion a response to long-standing complaints about transit gaps. Colonias on the Esterito route include areas south of the malecón and stretching toward the El Caimancito area. The Calafia route serves neighborhoods on the city’s western edge, where residential development has outpaced public services for more than a decade.
La Paz Transit Has Lagged Behind the City’s Growth Since 2010
La Paz has grown steadily since 2010, when its metropolitan population stood at roughly 215,000. By the 2020 census, that number had climbed past 290,000. Yet the city’s bus system remained largely unchanged during that period, with most routes radiating from the downtown terminal along corridors designed decades ago.
The result was predictable. Residents in newer colonias on the city’s periphery had to rely on private cars, informal ride-sharing, or multiple transfers to reach jobs, schools, and hospitals in the center. A 2023 survey by the municipal planning office found that residents in outlying colonias spent an average of 90 minutes per day commuting, nearly double the citywide average.
Previous administrations announced transit expansions that never materialized. In 2019, state officials proposed a Bus Rapid Transit corridor along the Transpeninsular Highway, but the project stalled during the pandemic and was never revived. The Muñoz administration, which took office in 2024, made transit a campaign priority and secured federal infrastructure funding through Mexico’s SEDATU (the federal urban development ministry) to purchase the 23 new buses.
The buses themselves are Chinese-manufactured units with air conditioning, accessibility ramps, and onboard security cameras. City officials said each bus has a 40-passenger capacity and meets federal emissions standards. Maintenance will be handled through a public-private partnership with a local transport operator, though the city has not disclosed the terms of that contract.
Route Maps and Fare Cards Available at the Downtown Terminal
Riders can pick up printed route maps at the main bus terminal on Calle Jalisco in downtown La Paz. The electronic fare card, called Tarjeta Movilidad, will be available for purchase at the terminal and at designated kiosks along both routes. The city has not yet announced the card’s activation date but said it would be operational within the first two weeks of service.
For anyone living along the malecón or in the Esterito and Calafia corridors, the new routes eliminate the need to transfer downtown when traveling between the city’s south and west sides. That is a practical change for daily errands, medical appointments at the IMSS clinic (Mexico’s social security health system) on Boulevard Forjadores, and school commutes.
The bus schedule also matters for workers in the tourism and service sectors. Many hotel and restaurant employees in central La Paz live in the peripheral colonias now served by these routes. A 6 a.m. start time and 10:30 p.m. final run align with common shift schedules in hospitality.
The city plans to evaluate ridership data after 90 days and may adjust frequencies or extend hours based on demand. A third route, tentatively serving colonias near the El Centenario area northwest of the city, is under study for possible launch later in 2025. This story was first reported by El Sudcaliforniano.