Public transportation service connecting Asunción to communities in Alto Paraguay has resumed after more than 40 days of suspension, caused by isolation due to road sections flooded by rains. With the return of the buses, users are facing an average 10% fare increase.
The new prices were set according to the distance. For Bahía Negra, the most distant locality, a one-way ticket costs G. 275,000, totaling G. 550,000 for a round trip, with the service operating once a week. For Fuerte Olimpo, the price rose to G. 235,000 (one-way), and in Carmelo Peralta, to G. 230,000. The service to these last two towns runs twice a week.
The increase occurs despite the precarious condition of the buses, described as "junk," which often suffer mechanical breakdowns during the long journey. The responsible company, San Juan SRL, claims it cannot send more modern vehicles to the region due to the critical state of the dirt roads.
Travel remains entirely dependent on weather conditions. A simple rain shower can lead to service cancellation, and longer periods of rain result in isolation for months. Despite repair works valued at G. 17.5 billion initiated by the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC), the work performed was insufficient to prevent the recent blockage, which was only overcome with the help of volunteers and machinery from ranchers, the MOPC, and the Governor's office.
With forecasts that the El Niño phenomenon will bring intense rains to the country, the situation could become critical again, once more isolating the residents of the region.