Travellers should be aware, though, that delays due to poor road and rail conditions, landslides, flooding and aging vehicles are frequent. Be prepared to adapt your itinerary, if you have one. Except when travelling with some of the luxury long-distance lines, passengers can usually embark and disembark at any point along the route. If you board anywhere other than the terminal, you will not have a ticket and the fare will thus be open to interpretation. Gringo pricing is common in these situations, and you may find yourself bargaining.
City buses are cheap, follow set routes, and are often quite crowded.
Drivers or their helpers will usually make change if they have it, and the buses can generally be flagged down anywhere. Often, signs in the front window list the major streets, neighborhoods and landmarks along the route. In remote areas, cargo trucks often serve as public transit. Most towns have a designated area where trucks going in all directions collect passengers. Be prepared to bargain for the fare and to share your space with all manner of cargo, including livestock.