How walkable is Ambato, Ecuador?
By Oscar Higson-Spence. Updated
Ambato, Ecuador has a walkability score of 36 out of 100 across the 5 km around its centre, which makes it car-dependent: most errands require a car. Its centre scores 96, and open map data lists fewer everyday places away from the centre here, so the score is likely an underestimate. It is the least walkable of the 4 cities ranked in Ecuador.
What's within walking distance of the centre
943 shops, restaurants, parks and other everyday places are mapped within a 30 minute walk of central Ambato, Ecuador. The nearest grocery is about 2 minutes away on foot. It earns full or nearly full points for groceries, restaurants & bars, shopping, banks, parks, schools and culture & entertainment.
Groceries
- Comisariato De Carnes, 14 min
- Mercado Central, 15 min
Restaurants & bars
- Restaurante Nømada, 2 min
- Parrilladas Gauchas, 2 min
Shopping
- Mueblería Rila, 3 min
- Cárnicos Entrecortes JC - Los Shyris, 4 min
Coffee
- Altaír Cafetería, 9 min
- Le Rivieto coffee house, 11 min
Banks
- Cooperativa Juventud Unida, 6 min
- Banco Solidario, 12 min
Parks
- Parque de los Enamorados, 4 min
- Parque de la Madre, 6 min
Schools
- Unidad Educativa Rodríguez Albornoz, 7 min
- Unidad Educativa Mario Cobo Barona, 8 min
Books & libraries
- Biblioteca de la Ciudad y Provincia, 12 min
- Libreria Santo Domingo, 12 min
Culture & entertainment
- El Rey Miope Bar Karaoke, 7 min
- Manhhattan Cafe Bar, 11 min
Measured from the centre at -1.2491, -78.6302, the point near Ambato, Ecuador's middle with the most places in walking range. Walking times assume 80 m per minute along an estimated street route.
Street layout
Within 800 m of the centre there are about 162 street intersections per km², and blocks average 77 m long. That is a well-connected street grid, so the score is not reduced.
How far walkability reaches
Ambato, Ecuador's score of 36 is the average across the 5 km around its centre, the point with the most everyday places within a walk. Walkability averages 90 within 1 km of the centre, 53 from 1 to 3 km out and 16 from 3 to 5 km out. 16 of the 91 points within 5 km fall on water or on land without streets, such as hillsides, forest or farmland, and are left out, so the score describes only the built-up part. 20% of the sampled area scores 70 or more, where most errands can be done on foot. Walkability falls off steeply away from the centre, so check a specific address on the map.
- 90+
- 70–89
- 50–69
- 25–49
- 0–24
Each hexagon is the score at a point, 1 km from its neighbours, across the 5 km around central Ambato, Ecuador. Rings mark 1, 3 and 5 km from the centre. Gaps are water or land without streets.
| Area | Score | Scoring 70+ |
|---|---|---|
| Centre | 96 | 100% |
| Within 1 km | 90 | 100% |
| 1 to 3 km out | 53 | 31% |
| 3 to 5 km out | 16 | 0% |
Nearby cities
| City | Distance | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Quito, Ecuador | 114 km | 63 |
| Guayaquil, Ecuador | 176 km | 71 |
| Cuenca, Ecuador, Ecuador | 188 km | 48 |
| Pasto, Colombia, Colombia | 312 km | 33 |
| Popayán, Colombia | 467 km | 34 |
Questions about walking in Ambato, Ecuador
Is Ambato, Ecuador a walkable city?
Its centre is, but most of the area around it is not. Ambato, Ecuador has a walkability score of 36 out of 100 across the 5 km around its centre, which makes it car-dependent: most errands require a car. Its centre scores 96. Open map data lists fewer everyday places away from the centre in some cities, so scores there may be underestimates. The score covers about 80 km² around the busiest point rather than the whole city, and suburbs further out are usually less walkable, so check a specific address on the map. It ranks 4th of 4 cities in Ecuador and joint 675th of 690 worldwide on How Walkable.
What is the most walkable city in Ecuador?
Guayaquil is the most walkable of the 4 cities ranked in Ecuador, with a score of 71. Ambato, Ecuador ranks 4th with 36.
How does Ambato, Ecuador compare with nearby cities?
Ambato, Ecuador is less walkable than its nearest ranked neighbours: it scores 36, against Quito (63, 114 km away), Guayaquil (71, 176 km away) and Cuenca, Ecuador (48, 188 km away).
Which part of Ambato, Ecuador is most walkable?
Ambato's most walkable area is its centre, the point near the middle of the city with the most places in walking range, which scores 96. Walkability averages 90 within 1 km of it. Beyond 2.5 km, it holds up best to the north-east (averaging 40) and falls most to the north-west (4).
How is Ambato, Ecuador's walkability score calculated?
For Ambato, Ecuador it is the average of 75 points spaced 1 km apart within 5 km of its busiest point, leaving out water and land without streets; 15 of them score 70 or more. Each point counts groceries, restaurants, shops, cafés, banks, parks, schools, libraries and cultural venues within a 30 minute walk, gives nearer places more weight, and loses up to 20% where streets are sparse or blocks are long, using open map data from Overture Maps (release 2026-09-23.1) and OpenStreetMap. It measures what is within a walk, not what the walk is like: pavements, traffic, safety, hills and heat are not part of the score.
This page is generated from open map data with a published walkability method, explained in the methodology. Places from Overture Maps release 2026-09-23.1. City position and population from GeoNames.
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