Linea 12

🚌 Línea 12
Operator
Route	Salinas (Fuerte Militar) ↔ Terminal Sumpa ↔ Ancón / Atahualpa
Status	✅ Active
Fare	$0.50 – $1.40 (zone-based, see Fare Zones below)
Frequency
First bus
Last bus
Cities served	Salinas · La Libertad · Santa Elena · Ancón · Atahualpa

Línea 12 is a two-circuit public bus route on the Santa Elena Peninsula. Unlike single-run lines such as Línea 7, Línea 12 is split into two connected circuits that some buses run end-to-end and others do not — riders may need to change buses partway through the journey.

Quick Facts

🚌 Línea 12 — At a Glance
Circuits	Circuit 1 (red): Salinas ↔ Terminal Sumpa · Circuit 2 (blue): Terminal Sumpa ↔ Ancón (every 3rd bus continues to Atahualpa)
Fare	$0.50 – $1.40 depending on zones crossed — see Fare Zones
Frequency
Operating Hours
How to board	Wait at a parada (bus stop), or wave the bus down on less busy stretches of road
How to know your bus's destination	Check the sign on the front of the bus, and confirm with the driver — signs aren't always updated
Payment	Pay the driver directly — exact change preferred

Fare Zones

Journey example	Municipios crossed	Fare
Salinas → Salinas (within same municipio)	1	$0.50
Salinas → La Libertad	2	$0.60
Salinas → Santa Elena (incl. Terminal Sumpa)	3	$0.70
Salinas → Ancón / Atahualpa		$1.40
Terminal Sumpa → Ancón / Atahualpa only

Circuit 1: Salinas → Terminal Sumpa

This circuit starts at the Fuerte Militar (Military Base) at the western tip of Salinas and travels east through La Libertad before ending at Terminal Terrestre Sumpa in Santa Elena.

#	Referential Stop	Notes
1	Fuerte Militar, Salinas	Origin — Western terminus. Military base gate.
2	Hotel Caridi	Salinas waterfront area
3	Edificio Solana	–
4	Municipio / Parque de Chipipe	Salinas city hall and Chipipe park
5	Cruz Roja Salinas	Red Cross office
6	Lojanita	–
7	Mi Comisariato Jr.	Supermarket stop
8	Rocabar	–
9	Banco Pichincha	Bank; reliable ATM stop
10	Mar y Tierra / Chilli Peppers	Great restaurants
11	Local's Point	Food court
12	Panadería Ramírez / Iglesia de San Lorenzo	–
13	Estación de Policía Comunitaria – San Lorenzo	Police station
14	Antigua Toma de Agua	Historic water intake landmark
15	Sogale	–
16	Colegio Rubíra	School stop
17	Comisión de Tránsito del Ecuador	Transit police station
18	Escuela del Pacífico / Comisariato Mini	School and small supermarket
19	Tuti	–
20	Fiscalía de Salinas	Attorney General's office
21	Supermaxi Salinas	Large supermarket; major landmark
22	Estadio Camilo Gallegos Lara – Salinas	Salinas football stadium
23	Lai Peluquería – Salinas	–
24	Puerta del Sol / TV Cable Xtrim – Salinas	–
25	Telconet – Salinas	–
26	Iglesia de Muey – Salinas	Muey church and central park
27	Colegio Técnico Muey, Entrada Estudiantes – Salinas	School stop
28	CAC / Clínica Granados – Salinas	Medical clinic
29	Paseo Shopping / Colegio Kennedy – La Libertad	Shopping mall; major transfer point
30	Paseo Shopping / Venus de Valdivia – La Libertad	Venus de Valdivia Hospital
31	Puerto Lucía Yacht Club – La Libertad	–
32	UE Luis Celleri Avilés – La Libertad	–
33	Plazoleta Cívica Adalberto Montenegro	–
34	Iglesia Central – La Libertad	–
35	TIA Centro – La Libertad	–
36	SRI Centro – La Libertad	–
37	Parque Central / Gasolinera PDV – La Libertad	–
38	Cooperativa Policía Nacional / IESS Centro Especialidades	–
39	Mercado Central – La Libertad	–
40	Mercado de Mariscos – La Libertad	Seafood market
41	Maderera Ávila – La Libertad	Timber yard
42	Ferretería Chaltén – La Libertad	Hardware store
43	Keramikos – La Libertad	–
44	GRAIMAN – La Libertad	–
45	Refinería – La Libertad	Oil refinery landmark
46	CNEL – La Libertad	Electricity company
47	AUTODUNAM – La Libertad	–
48	Gasolinera CLP – La Libertad	Fuel station
49	UPSE – La Libertad	Universidad Estatal Península de Santa Elena
50	Julipos – La Libertad	–
51	Amantes de Sumpa – La Libertad	Archaeological museum area
52	Gasolinera Primax – Santa Elena	Fuel station
53	Terminal CICA	–
54		–
55		–
56	Colegio Teodoro Wolf	School
57	Colegio Guillermo Ordóñez	School
58	Terminal Terrestre Sumpa	End of Circuit 1 — transfer point for Circuit 2 (Ancón / Atahualpa)

Map: Salinas → Ancón / Atahualpa (both circuits)

The map below covers the full route. Circuit 1 is marked in green, Circuit 2 in blue.

🗺️ Open full-screen map

Circuit 2: Terminal Sumpa → Ancón / Atahualpa

This circuit starts at Terminal Terrestre Sumpa and continues to Ancón. Every 3rd bus continues further to Atahualpa — check the destination sign and confirm with the driver.

#	Referential Stop	Notes
1	Terminal Terrestre Sumpa	Origin — transfer point from Circuit 1. Inter-provincial bus terminal — connections to Guayaquil, Quito, and beyond.
2	Colegio Guillermo Ordóñez	School
3	Colegio Teodoro Wolf	School
4		–
5		–
6		–
7		–
8	KFC Santa Elena	–
9	SOLCA Santa Elena	–
10	UE Santa Elena	School
11	Redondel / Vía Diagonal	–
12	El Tambo Arriba	–
13	El Tambo de Abajo	–
14	Desvío a Comuna Prosperidad	–
15	Cementerio Comuna Prosperidad	–
16	Parque Las Crucitas, Comuna Prosperidad	–
17	Albarrada Comuna Prosperidad / Iglesia	–
18	Gasolinera PDV Ancón	Fuel station
19	Redondel Entrada Ancón	–
20	UE Ancón	School
21	Iglesia Ancón / Casa Inglesa	–
22	Club Andes	–
23	Hospital IESS Ancón	End stop for buses terminating in Ancón — 2 out of every 3 buses turn around here
24	Pacifpetrol – Base de Operaciones Ancón	Only served by buses continuing to Atahualpa
25	Parque Eloy Alfaro – Atahualpa	Only served by buses continuing to Atahualpa
26	Estación de Bus Atahualpa / Parque Central / Iglesia	End of route — Atahualpa terminus, served by every 3rd bus

Map

See the combined map in Circuit 1 above — Circuit 2 is marked in blue.

Reverse Direction

This is the return journey: from Atahualpa / Ancón back through Santa Elena and La Libertad to Salinas. As with the outbound direction, this reverse route is split into two connected circuits — some buses run end-to-end, others terminate at Terminal Sumpa and require a transfer.

Circuit 1: Atahualpa / Ancón → Terminal Sumpa

This circuit starts at Atahualpa (or Ancón for buses that don't run all the way to Atahualpa) and travels through Santa Elena to Terminal Terrestre Sumpa.

#	Referential Stop	Notes
1	Estación de Bus Atahualpa / Parque Central / Iglesia	Origin — Eastern terminus, Atahualpa. Only served by buses starting from Atahualpa.
2	Parque Eloy Alfaro – Atahualpa	Only served by buses starting from Atahualpa
3	Pacifpetrol – Base de Operaciones Ancón	Only served by buses starting from Atahualpa
4	Hospital IESS Ancón	Starting point for buses beginning in Ancón — 2 out of every 3 buses start here
5	Club Andes	–
6	Iglesia Ancón / Casa Inglesa	–
7	Redondel Entrada Ancón	–
8	UE Ancón	School
9	Gasolinera PDV Ancón	Fuel station
10	Desvío a Comuna Prosperidad	–
11	Cementerio Comuna Prosperidad	–
12	Parque Las Crucitas, Comuna Prosperidad	–
13	Albarrada Comuna Prosperidad / Iglesia	–
14	El Tambo de Abajo	–
15	El Tambo Arriba	–
16	Redondel / Vía Diagonal	–
17	UE Santa Elena	School
18	SOLCA Santa Elena	–
19	KFC Santa Elena	–
20	Rincón Manabita – Santa Elena	–
21	Colegio Teodoro Wolf	School
22	Colegio Guillermo Ordóñez	School
23	Terminal Terrestre Regional Sumpa	End of Circuit 1 (reverse) — transfer point for Circuit 2 (reverse) toward Salinas

Map: Atahualpa / Ancón → Salinas (both circuits)

The map below covers the full reverse route.

🗺️ Open full-screen map

Circuit 2: Terminal Sumpa → Salinas

This circuit starts at Terminal Terrestre Sumpa and continues west through La Libertad, ending at the Fuerte Militar in Salinas.

#	Referential Stop	Notes
1	Terminal Terrestre Regional Sumpa	Origin — transfer point from Circuit 1 (reverse). Inter-provincial bus terminal.
2	UE Guillermo Ordóñez – Santa Elena	School
3	UE Teodoro Wolf – Santa Elena	School
4	Registro Civil, agencia Santa Elena	Civil registry office
5	Prefectura – Santa Elena	Provincial government office
6	Registro de la Propiedad – Santa Elena	Property registry office
7	Gasolinera Primax – Santa Elena	Fuel station
8	Museo Los Amantes de Sumpa – Santa Elena	Archaeological museum area
9	Julipos – La Libertad	–
10	UPSE – La Libertad	Universidad Estatal Península de Santa Elena
11	Gasolinera CLP – La Libertad	Fuel station
12	Autodunan – La Libertad	–
13	CNEL – La Libertad	Electricity company
14	Refinería – La Libertad	Oil refinery landmark
15	Graiman – La Libertad	–
16	Keramikos – La Libertad	–
17	Ferretería Chalén – La Libertad	Hardware store
18	Maderera Ávila – La Libertad	Timber yard
19	Cooperativa Policía Nacional – La Libertad	–
20	Parque de Los Hambrientos – La Libertad	–
21	Ferretería Solís – La Libertad	Hardware store
22	Cementerio – La Libertad	–
23	Policía Nacional – Centro de Detención – La Libertad	–
24	Estadio Once Deportivo – La Libertad	–
25	Paseo Shopping / Colegio Kennedy – La Libertad	Shopping mall; major transfer point
26	Centro de Atención Ciudadana / Clínica Granados – Salinas	Medical clinic
27	Colegio Técnico Muey, Entrada Estudiantes – Salinas	School stop
28	Iglesia de Muey – Salinas	Muey church and central park
29	Telconet – Salinas	–
30	Puerta del Sol / TV Cable Xtrim – Salinas	–
31	Lai Peluquería – Salinas	–
32	Estadio Camilo Gallegos Lara – Salinas	Salinas football stadium
33	Supermaxi Salinas	Large supermarket; major landmark
34	Fiscalía de Salinas / UTPL	Attorney General's office
35	Tuti	–
36	Escuela del Pacífico / Netlife – Salinas	School stop
37	Comisión de Tránsito del Ecuador – Salinas	Transit police station
38	Colegio Rubíra – Salinas	School stop
39	Sogale – Salinas	–
40	Antigua Toma de Agua – Salinas	Historic water intake landmark
41	Estación de Policía Comunitaria – Salinas	Police station
42	Panadería Ramírez / Iglesia de San Lorenzo – Salinas	–
43	Local's Point – Salinas	Food court
44	Jimmy's Food – Salinas	–
45	Banco Pichincha – Salinas	Bank; reliable ATM stop
46	Barrio Bazán / Kalinka – Salinas	–
47	Mi Comisariato Jr. – Salinas	Supermarket stop
48	Club de Leones – Salinas	–
49	Parque Enríquez Gallo – Salinas	–
50	Municipio / Parque de Chipipe / Iglesia – Salinas	Salinas city hall and Chipipe park
51	Edificio Solana – Salinas	–
52	Hotel Amira Stop – Salinas	–
53	Fuerte Militar – Salinas	End of Circuit 2 (reverse) — Western terminus, Salinas. Military base gate.

Map

See the combined map in Circuit 1 (reverse) above.

Key Stops & Landmarks

Landmark	Why it matters
Terminal Terrestre Sumpa	Transfer point between Circuit 1 and Circuit 2. Also connects to inter-provincial buses.
Paseo Shopping (La Libertad)	Large mall, easy to spot. Good transfer point.
UPSE	The main university — a busy, easy-to-identify stop.
Supermaxi Salinas	Large supermarket, major landmark in Salinas.
Fuerte Militar, Salinas	Western terminus of Circuit 1.
Ancón	Circuit 2 turnaround point for most buses.
Atahualpa	Final destination for every 3rd Circuit 2 bus.

Tips for Riding Línea 12

• Check the sign, then check with the driver: Destination signs aren't always updated — always confirm with the driver if you're headed to Ancón or Atahualpa specifically.
• Transferring at Terminal Sumpa: If your bus terminates there, you'll need to board the next Circuit 2 bus to continue to Ancón/Atahualpa.
• Fare: Priced by how many municipios you cross — see Fare Zones above.
• Change: Drivers rarely carry change for bills over $5. Bring coins or small bills.
• Boarding: The bus will stop anywhere along the route — wave it down from the roadside.

See Also

• Línea 7
• Understanding Public Transportation in La Peninsula
• Terminal Terrestre Regional Sumpa (Santa Elena)
• Taxis and Taxi Apps
• Buses Along the Ruta del Spondylus