Caracas - Getting There By Road

Oil-rich Venezuela is a country that worships the motor vehicle, and has an extensive and reasonably well maintained network of roads. Petrol is astonishingly cheap and filling stations frequent. However, local drivers can be wild and navigating the clogged and chaotic streets of Caracas is not for the faint-hearted. Driving is on the right. Speed limits are officially 80kph (50mph) on major roads and 40kph (25mph) in residential areas, though few drivers pay the slightest attention to them.

Buses are the principal form of intercity transport for travellers. The two main terminales de pasajeros (bus terminals) are on opposite sides of the city, but easily reached by public transport. Buses from the west and southwest arrive at Terminal La Bandera on Avenida Nueva Granada, while services from the east and southeast drive in to Terminal de Oriente just off the Autopista Francisco Fajardo (tel: (0212) 243 2606). Some companies also have their own terminals.

Established bus companies include Aeroexpresos Ejecutivos (tel: (0212) 266 2321; website: www.aeroexpresos.com.ve), BusVen (tel: (0212) 953 8441; website: www.busven.com) and Rodovias de Venezuela (tel: (0212) 577 6622/7011; website: www.rodovias.com.ve).

Emergency breakdown services:
TACV (tel: (0212) 781 9743).