El Salvador Travel Guide

El Salvador — Travel Tips

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Social Conventions

Visitors should not point their finger or their foot at anyone. First names should not be used to address someone unless invited to do so. Casual wear is acceptable. Men and women who already know each other greet with a kiss on the cheek, otherwise a handshake is always offered as a greeting. Siesta is still a tradition from around 1200-1400, although most shops and restaurants remain open.

Photography: Sensitive (eg military) areas should not be photographed.

International Travel

Getting There By Air

The national airline is TACA (TA) (www.taca.com).

Departure Tax

US$32 (transit passengers proceeding within six hours, and infants under two years of age are exempt) and an immigration tax of US$2.65.

Main Airports

San Salvador (SAL) (El Salvador International) (www.aeropuertoelsalvador.gob.sv) is 62km (38 miles) from the city. To/from the airport: Minibuses and taxis to the city are available (journey time – 40 minutes). Facilities: Restaurants, shops, car hire, banks, hotel reservation desk, left luggage and Wi-Fi Internet access.

Getting There By Water

Main ports: Acajutla, La Unión and La Libertad on the Pacific coast.

Getting There By Road

Transportes Mermex (tel: 2279 3676; www.transmermex.com.sv) operates buses between El Salvador and Guatemala. Pullmantur buses (tel: 2243 1300; www.pullmantur.com) travel from Guatemala City and from Tegucigalpa (Honduras) to San Salvador. Transnica (tel: +505 270 3135, Nicaragua; www.transnica.com) runs bus services between Managua (Nicaragua) and San Salvador. Tica Bus (tel: 2222 4808; www.ticabus.com) runs buses from Tapachula (Mexico) to Guatemala and on to San Salvador; buses from San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa (Honduras) to San Salvador; and buses from Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua to El Salvador.

Duty Free

Overview

The following goods may be imported into El Salvador without incurring customs duty:

• 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars.
• 2L of alcoholic beverages.
• Up to six units of perfume.
• Other goods to the value of US$500.

Note: There are restrictions on import and export of fruit, vegetables, plants and animals; meat products: ham and sausage are only allowed if sterilized by heat, boneless and hermetically canned.

Internal Travel

Getting Around By Air

There are no scheduled domestic flights.

Getting Around By Rail

San Salvador's railways are managed by FENADESAL (Ferrocarriles Nacionales de El Salvador) (website: www.fenadesal.gob.sv). However, there are no passenger services at present.

Getting Around By Road

Traffic drives on the right. Road conditions vary. Carjacking is not uncommon (especially in the cities) and drivers are advised to travel only by day and with the doors locked at all times. New cars, particularly with foreign license plates, are obvious targets. Automóvil Club de El Salvador (tel: 2231 5555; www.aces.com.sv) has reciprocal agreements with some international motoring organizations and can provide further information on driving in El Salvador.

Bus: A good service exists between major towns, although there can be delays if the weather is bad. Maintenance, however, is extremely poor, and robberies are by no means unheard of especially at night. Buses can be hailed between stops. Pickup trucks are an alternative method of transport to remote areas.

Car hire: Available in San Salvador and at the airport from international and local firms.

Regulations: Seat belts must be worn. Speed limits vary from region to region.

Documentation: A national or International Driving Permit is required for 30-day visits, after which visitors need to obtain a Salvadoran license.

Getting Around Towns and Cities

Bus: City buses are cheap and offer a good service, but are often crowded.

Taxi: These are plentiful but not metered, so it is essential to agree the fare beforehand. Cabs are yellow with a checkred stripe and easy to flag down. Alternatively, head to the town square (or similar), where taxis usually congregate between fares. Many large hotels have their own taxi services. Drivers do not expect tips, except when the taxi has been hired for the day.