Peru | Travel By Air, Water & Road

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Getting Around by Air

Aerocóndor (website: www.aerocondor.com.pe), LAN (website: www.lan.com), Star Up (website: www.starperu.com), Taca (website: www.taca.com) and LC Busre (website: www.lcbusre.com.pe) handle virtually all domestic air traffic linking Lima to Andahuaylas, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Chiclayo, Cusco, Huánuco, Iquitos, Juliaca-Puno, Piura, Pucallpa, Puerto Maldonado, Tacna, Tarapoto, Trujillo, Tumbes and other cities. Flights to Huaraz are occasionally offered. For information on internal flights, contact the Peruvian Corporation of Airports (Corpac) (website: www.corpac.gob.pe).

Departure Tax

US$6.15. Children under two years of age are exempt. Payment must be paid in cash prior to boarding.

Getting Around by Water

Transportation is available between Pucallpa and Iquitos (journey time - 4 to 7 days) and from Iquitos to the border with Brazil and Colombia (journey time - 2 to 3 days). However, river travel can be long and uncomfortable.

Getting Around by Rail

Peru Rail (tel: (01) 444 5020/5; website: www.perurail.com) runs comfortable tourist trains between Puno and Cusco and between Cusco and Machu Picchu.

Ferrocarril Central Andino (tel: (01) 226 6363; website: www.ferrocarrilcentral.com.pe or www.rrdc.com/op_peru_fcca.html) runs a twice-monthly tourist service on renovated trains between Lima and Huáncayo. This spectacular route is the second highest railway in the world (the highest being in Tibet).

Getting Around by Road

Traffic drives on the right. The well-maintained Pan-American Highway runs down the length of Peru's coast, with intersecting highways running east into the mountains. Many mountain roads are unpaved, and almost all are badly potholed. Landslides are frequent in the mountains during the rainy season (December to March), making for slow travel. The Touring y Automóvil Club del Perú and the Instituto Geográfico Nacional sell maps. Travel guides like Guía Toyota include good road maps. The minimum driving age is 18. There is no countrywide emergency breakdown number.

Bus: Operated extensively, providing a cheap means of travel. Greyhound-type buses are operated by numerous companies, the biggest of which is Cruz del Sur (tel: (01) 311 5050; www.cruzdelsur.com.pe). Quality of service varies according to prices.

Taxi: Many unlicensed taxi companies are in operation and visitors are advised to avoid these. They usually have a red and white taxi sign on the windscreen. Licensed yellow taxis the only cabs allowed in downtown Lima. Taxis do not have meters and fares should be agreed before departure (they are relatively inexpensive). Extensive and safe taxi services are available by telephone in main cities. Taxi fares increase by 35 to 50% after midnight and on holidays. Drivers do not expect tips.

Car hire: International firms have offices in all the major cities and bigger airports.

Documentation: Foreign driving permits are valid for 30 days from the date of arrival. An International Driving Permit is required for longer stays. Permits in Peru can be obtained through the Touring y Automóvil Club del Perú. All foreign vehicles must have documentation from their own national automobile association or obtain it on the Peruvian border before entering the country. Always carry your driver's licence, a copy of your passport and, if the vehicle is hired, a copy of the rental contract.

Getting Around Towns and Cities

Public transport in Lima is provided by conventional buses and by minibuses (combis). These operate from 0600 to 0000 on established routes; wherever possible, try to avoid using bus travel late at night.