Getting There By Air:Aeropuerto Internacional Simón Bolívar (CCS), aka Maiquetía
Tel: (0212) 303 1526.
Website:
www.aeropuerto-maiquetia.com.veThe airport is located in Maiquetía, 26km (16 miles) northwest of central Caracas. The International Terminal has good facilities, including tourist information, plentiful café-restaurants, several Internet cafés, a wide variety of shops, three banks, ATMs and
casas de cambio (bureaux de change),
post office, chapel, VIP lounges with business facilities, car hire companies and a wide selection of tour agents and operators.
The Domestic Terminal lies 400m away. It also has an information point, plenty of refreshment, banks, ATMs,
casa de cambio, Internet, post office and a generous handful of tour agencies/operators.
A motorway runs through (and under) the mountains direct to Caracas. Daytime buses run frequently to Caracas, taking around 35 minutes in light traffic. Taxis to central districts cost Bs 20,000 to Bs 28,000 depending on the area. Do not take unofficial taxis as many robberies have occurred.
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 travelers. 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).
Getting There By Rail:Other than the excellent city Metro (see
Getting Around), Venezuela has no train network to speak of.
Getting Around:Public TransportCaracas is a long, sprawling city with attractions spread far and wide so visitors will need to rely on public transport to get around. The clean, cheap and efficient
Metro de Caracas (tel: (0212) 206 7741; website:
www.metrodecaracas.com.ve) has three dozen stations and three functional lines, with more planned in coming years. It runs from early morning around 0530 until around 2300. The
metro does not cover the whole city, but the same company has a connecting
bus network above ground called
Metrobús, which can take you on to your final destination. There are plenty of cheap independent buses too, their destinations given in the front window.
For savings in both time and money, pick up a
multiabono (multiple ticket) that pays for 10 metro rides of any distance. A
multiabono integrado can also be used on
Metrobús.
TaxisEvery third car is likely a taxi in Caracas, and fares are inexpensive. You’ll be expected to decide a price with the driver before setting off, so have your haggling skills at the ready. It is safest to use official company cabs (white with yellow plates) that sit in ranks outside malls and big hotels rather than the many independent taxis. Companies include
Movíl-Enlace (tel: (0212) 577 0922/3344),
Taxis Altamira (tel: (0212) 267 4253) and
Taxis El Rosal (tel: (0212) 952 1019/0079).
Car HireMost major national and international car hire companies have offices at the airport and in the city itself. Many top hotels also have a desk or two. You’ll need to be at least over 21 years of age to hire a vehicle here; some companies only take drivers over 25. Car hire companies include
Avis (tel: 0800 227 7600; website:
www.avis.com.ve),
Budget (tel: (0212) 603 1300/1333; website:
www.budget.com.ve) and
Hertz (tel: (0212) 952 0717
or 0800 800 0000; website:
www.hertz.com.ve).
Bicycle HireCycling isn’t recommended in Caracas unless you’re happy taking your life into your own hands in the chaotic streets. Hiring bikes is also difficult.
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Related Caracas Content
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
Related Venezuela Content
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
Venezuela Airport Guides:
|
Venezuela City Guides:
|
| Venezuela Attraction Guides: |
|
|
Available Tours to Venezuela:
|
