Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The airport is in the port of Callao, 12km west of downtown or 20km northwest of Mira-
flores. As you come out of customs, inside the airport to the right is the official taxi ser-
vice,
Taxi Green
( 484-4001;
taxigreen.com.pe
; Aeropuerto Internacional Jorge Chávez; 1-3 people
to Central Lima, San Isidro, Miralores & Barranco S50)
Allow at least an hour to the airport from San Isidro, Miraflores or Barranco. Traffic is
lightest before 6:30am.
Bus
tem, is the fastest and most efficient way to get into the city center. Routes are few, though
there are intentions to expand coverage. Ruta Troncal (S1.50) goes through Barranco,
Miraflores and San Isidro to Plaza Grau in the center of Lima. Users must purchase a
tar-
jeta inteligente
(card S4.50) that can be credited for use.
Otherwise, caravans of
combis
(minivans) hurtle down the avenues with a
cobrador
(tick-
et taker) hanging out the door and shouting out the stops. Or you can go by the destination
placards taped to the windshield. Your best bet is to know the nearest major intersection or
landmark closest to your stop (eg Parque Kennedy) and tell that to the
cobrador
- they'll
let you know whether you've got the right bus.
Combis
are generally slow and crowded,
but startlingly cheap: fares run from S1 to S3.
The most useful routes link Central Lima with Miraflores along Av Arequipa or Paseo de
la República. Minibuses along Garcilaso de la Vega (also called Av Wilson) and Av Are-
quipa are labeled 'Todo Arequipa.' To get to Barranco, look for buses along Av Arequipa
labeled 'Chorrillos/Huaylas/Metro' (some will have signs that say 'Barranco'). You can
also find these on the Diagonal, just west of the Parque Kennedy, in Miraflores.
Taxi
Lima's taxis don't have meters, so negotiate a price with the driver before getting in. Fares
will vary depending on the length of the journey, traffic conditions and time of day. Plan
for paying extra for registered taxis and any taxi you hail outside a tourist attraction. As a
(very) rough guide, a trip within Miraflores will cost S5-S8, while the journey from Cent-
ral Lima to Miraflores will run S10-S15. If there are two or more of you, be clear on
whether the fare is per person or for the car.
The majority of taxis in Lima are unregistered (unofficial). During the day, this is gener-
ally not a problem. However, at night it is usually safer to use registered taxis. Look for
