Arrival information and getting around

You will either arrive in Lima by plane , landing at the Jorge Chavez airport, 7km northwest of the city centre, by bus , most of which arrive in the older, more central areas of town, or possibly by train from the Andes, right into the city centre. Driving into the city is really only for the adventurous, as the roads are highly congested with sometimes frustrating traffic levels plus a general madness of fellow drivers, which will either send you insane or turn you into an equally erratic and unpredictable road hog. Wherever you arrive, it can be a disorienting experience, as there are few landmarks to register the direction of the centre of town.

By air

Coming into Lima by air over the Andes, you can usually make out the city, crowded into the mouth of a river valley with low sandy mountains closing in around its outer fringes. After landing at the modern, bustling Jorge Chavez airport (flight enquiries on tel 454-9570), named after an early Peruvian pilot, the quickest way to get into the city is by taxi , which will take around 45 minutes to Lima Centro or downtown Miraflores. Fix the price before getting in; around $20 or more is reasonable as the total price for a shared car. If you're prepared to haggle and shop around, you may get a car for $10 or less during daylight hours, particularly if you're prepared to carry your bags outside the airport gates and search for a taxi there, but take extra care around the perimeter and on the road into Lima, as there have been thefts in these areas. A cheaper and very efficient alternative is to take the airport shuttle (tel 451-8011), which is either a minibus or a car that will take you to your hotel anywhere in Lima, though you will almost certainly have to share the service and drop off at several other hotels en route. Tickets (around $10 per person) are available from the little office immediately outside the international arrivals terminal.

If you need to change money at the airport, there are counters (daily 9am-6pm) located between the international and domestic flight departure areas, but you'll get better rates in the centre of Lima

By bus

If you arrive in Lima by bus , you'll probably come in at one of the bus terminals or offices between the Hotel Sheraton and Parque Universitario, or in the district of La Victoria along Avenida 28 de Julio and Prolongación Huanuco. However, many operators have depots out in the suburbs, in an attempt to avoid the Lima Centro traffic jams. Whichever terminal you arrive at, your best bet is to hail the first decent-looking taxi you see and fix a price - about $3 for any destination in the central area, or $5 for anywhere else in Lima

By train

The passenger train from Huancayo, in the Andes, arrives right in Lima Centro at Desamparados Railway Station , Jirón Ancash 201, behind the Palacio de Gobierno. Services currently arrive only on the last Monday of every month at 5.15pm (plus Tues in Oct and Dec), but with the recent privatization of the line it may well operate more frequently in the near future; check with the Fertur Peru tour company for the latest

 

LIMA INFO 2008
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