• Background Information for arrival in Caracas
  • Tips for Travelers

    Background Information for arrival in Caracas

    Caracas airport is situated on the coast, 22Km (14 miles) from the capital; International flights use the Simon Bolivar terminal and most domestic flights use the next-door Maiquetía terminal. It is a 5 minutes walk from one terminal building to the other (through a connector corridor). Depending on the amount of traffic it takes from 35 minutes to over one hour to travel between the airport and the city centre. If you are flying to Venezuela in advance and have not arranged for us to meet you at the airport and transfer you to central Caracas, there is a good airport bus service, but we strongly recommend you take a taxi unless you have been to Caracas before. Taxi fares from the airport to the city centre are regulated (though not cheap) and after a long flight you will at least be able to relax and start taking in the surroundings during the drive.

    As you emerge from customs into the arrivals area there is an official taxi kiosk straight ahead; they have a list of tariffs on display and will liaise with a driver for you (you pay at the kiosk); prices vary according to the time of day. The bus service departs for the city centre every 10 minutes between 06h:00 and 00h:30. Look for the blue and white buses marked “Aeropuerto Internacional” just outside the terminal building. The airport bus has various setting down points in the middle of town from which you should hail a taxi to your final destination; you should agree the fare before the taxi sets off (city centre taxis are not regulated and drivers rarely use the taximeter; after 22h:00 fares double). You can’t use Caracas´ excellent metro (subway) if you are carrying heavy luggage or a backpack (this rule is strictly enforced).

    For seasoned South American travelers only there are numerous por puestos (privately operated cars and minibuses running on fixed routes) busily making their way about the city. These are invariably over-crowded but are a cheap and efficient way of crossing from one part of Caracas to another, particularly useful if you are not following the linear route of the metro. All destinations along a por puesto´s route are displayed on its windscreen.

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