From the airport to the city centre Peru

The international airport of Lima is generally the point of arrival of the tourists. Some travelers in a hurry connect directly to Cusco or Arequipa. It is nevertheless in Lima that you will carry out the formalities of customs to enter the territory, the other airports not being equipped. In this case, your luggage will have to be retrieved and checked in again. For those who visit Lima, after a first impression of greyness, you should not regret it as the capital has so many different faces to offer. The privileged districts to lodge remain Miraflores and Barranco, along the coast

To reach them, authorized cabs offer their services just outside the customs. They offer fixed rates (S/60 for Miraflores or Barranco) and payment by credit card is possible. Cab Green is one of the reference companies

Shuttle services also exist in mini-bus with Quickllama (quickllama.com, S/ 20 from the hotels of Miraflores or Parque Kennedy)

The public bus service in Lima is rather chaotic and the units are small, so it is complicated to get a seat with bags or suitcases, we do not recommend it

VTC can also be ordered with a departure point from the airport. Be careful not to leave the airport, even if the fare could be negotiated at a better price, it's a pretty hectic area. For a few soles, it is not worth starting a trip with a bad experience.

Arrival by train Peru

In Peru, as in many Latin American countries, the train, for lack of means, gave way to the road. The geographical conditions made this means of transport very expensive to maintain. Even if you can't get to Peru by train, there are some emblematic lines.

The Ferrocarril Central Andino (Lima-Huancayo-Lima, ferrocarrilcentral.com.pe) is in service only twice a month between April and November. The railroad crosses a multitude of tunnels and suspension bridges, at the foot of mountains covered with eternal snow.

The Tren Macho between Huancayo and Huancavélica is the only popular train on a journey of a few hours in the heart of the Andes. It is necessary to inquire in either city about the somewhat hazardous schedule

The Belmond Andean Explorer is a new luxury railroad that connects Arequipa, Puno and Cusco in sleeper trains with the service and elegance of a 5-star. The price is accordingly (from 2 days/1 night, perurail.com).

The Titicaca Train connects Cusco and Puno in one direction and in the other alternately with gourmet lunch on board, shows and the elegance and the cachet of the Pullman cars of the time (10h of journey, from 245 US$, perurail.com)

Peru Rail (perurail.com) and Inca Rail (incarail.com) are the two companies that serve Cusco (San Pedro station or Poroy station) or the Sacred Valley (Urubamba or Ollantaytambo station) to connect them to Machu Picchu Pueblo by train. The type of car and services vary from the most economical (Expedition or Voyager) to the panoramic (Vistadome, 360°). The most elegant and prestigious are the Sacred Valley operated by Peru Rail from Urubamba and the Hiram Bigham from Cusco Poroy station which include gourmet meals, shows and for the Bignham exclusive shuttles to the Machu Picchu Sanctuary, visit and tea at the nearby Belmond Santuary Lodge.

Arrival by boat Peru

The boat, if it is not a gateway to Peru is nevertheless one of the privileged means of travel to move in Amazonia.

You will find luxury cruises on the Amazon from Iquitos operated by Aqua Expeditions (aqueexpeditions.com) and Delphin (delfinamazoncruises.com)

Fast boat or big crowded ferry, very cheap and which will leave you an unforgettable memory from/to Yurimaguas, Pucallpa, Iquitos, Triple Frontier (Peru-Brazil-Colombia) in 3 or 5 days depending on the direction of the current and the boat used. No websites, but some companies emblematic of the name of their boat, the Henry or Eduardo for example. The ticket is bought directly on the spot and you have to go to the port regularly to check the boat's filling. We are not at one or two days

Public transport Peru

The bus is the most common, cheapest and most convenient means of transportation. The country is crisscrossed in all directions by these vehicles, which facilitate frequent travel. The state of the roads and of the buses themselves (the most dilapidated ones are assigned to the most damaged tracks) means that in Peru journeys are not counted in kilometers, but in hours, these same hours being extendable according to the rains or the damages.

Main interprovincial lines: many companies, along the coast or towards the big tourist destinations (Cusco, Arequipa, Puno), propose vehicles with toilets, dinner, breakfast and hostess. This service is more expensive, but the difference should not make you back out, especially for very long trips. In Peru, either you can find bus "terminals" where the different companies are grouped together (Cusco, Puno, Arequipa), or these companies are generally all located within a few cuadras. Their respective prices vary little, it is preferable to choose those which have good vehicles and which enjoy the best reputation. Some examples are Cruz del Sur (cruzdelsur.com.pe), Oltursa (oltursa.com), Movil Tours (moviltours.com.pe).

People with back problems and those taller than 1.80 m should expect to suffer. In the popular buses, the music is loud, even at night, and in many of them the worst war or karate movies are shown (those who are uncomfortable with the noise should bring earplugs). For trips in the Sierra, the best seats are at the front of the bus, where it is less shaky. To be able to choose your seat and to be sure to have a seat, it is necessary to reserve the day before, or in the morning for the evening. Most buses run at night, which has the advantage of saving a night in a hotel and not wasting precious daylight hours that could be devoted to the visit. If the bus arrives at its destination during the night, don't panic: the code requires the carrier to keep passengers under cover until daybreak.

Redbus (redbus.pe) is a portal that allows you to book on several companies. You can buy your ticket directly on the site with Visa, MasterCard, American Express and PayPal. The ticket will be sent to your email address and/or phone number. You will have to go to the bus station 40 minutes beforehand to get the physical ticket. The icing on the cake, the site is entirely available in French and you can give notes to the companies and types of buses so that everyone can find their way. Top!

Lima is the only city to have a modernized public transport through two systems that unfortunately are not connected to each other.

There is the Metropolitano (metropolitano.com.pe) which has its own bus lanes and serves Barranco, Miraflores and the Historical Center for example. It is very busy in the morning and evening. You will need to purchase a Metropolitano card at a cost of S/5. Any additional trips cost S/2.50. Several people can use the service on the same card.

Linea 1 (lineauno.pe) is an aerial metro service that connects Lima from north to south, from Villa Salvador to San Juan de Lurigancho, it serves a station close to the historic center, but the flight over this multifaceted city is interesting in itself. It will be necessary to purchase another green card at the price of S/5 and then S/1.50 per trip. Several people can use the service on the same card.

City buses. In all major cities, a swarm of microbuses or mini-vans provide connections from one point to another. The drivers' assistants shout out the directions, which are also on the windshields, which is very convenient, although they are not always very legible. Count about S/1 the ticket up to S/3 depending on the distance. To get off? We shout: paradero! It is better to know where you are going or to ask the cobrador (the driver's assistant in charge of payments) or the other passengers regularly. In these small combis, older people won't see much of the road and will have trouble sitting down.


Colectivos. Colectivos are shared cars that follow a pre-determined route. They usually wait at the station and start when they are full. They are more expensive than the bus, but they are faster and interesting for short trips within the same region. You can find these shared services by asking for the "paradero" for the destination you want to reach (for example in Cusco, "paradero para Ollantaytambo"). The drivers are often risky, so call them to order. They are still very common in the provinces.

Bike, scooters & co Peru

Here again, Lima leads the way in adaptability to new alternative modes of transportation. At the same time, it is easier to pedal at 0 meters than at 3,500! So the city is slowly transforming itself by making room for more bike paths, at least in the trendier neighborhoods like San Isidro, Miraflores or Barranco. It is not quite the same for the drivers, especially the famous combis. We therefore advise you to be careful.

Citybike Lima (citybikelima.com) has about 50 bike terminals, but only in Miraflores. It is necessary to register on their application or Internet and to subscribe (1st formula at S/4 for 24 hours). Then the 1st half hour is free and then S/2 the additional half hour.

Many private rental companies provide bicycles for 24 hours or more and offer guided group tours to discover the city and its best addresses by bike (gogobiking.pe, limabicitours.com)

With a driver Peru

Cab. In Lima or in other big cities, it is often easier to take a cab. Since these do not have a taximeter, it is necessary to agree on the price of the trip beforehand. To get an idea of the rates charged, it is sufficient to ask at the hotel where you are staying or to ask a local. In Lima, the reference company is Taxi Satelital (3555555satelital.com).

To avoid any inconvenience, it is best to carry the numbers of some serious companies or to call a cab from the hotel or restaurant

In the tourist cities, the historical centers are easily accessible on foot and there are many hotels of all categories, so cabs are less necessary. Lima is the only exception to this rule.

VTC: applications such as Uber or its local derivatives (Easy cab, Taxi VIP, Cabify, Beat) work very well in Lima and in the major tourist cities

Mototaxis offer their services in the villages. They are in fact mopeds, equipped like rickshaws and where two or three people can ride. Their fares are lower than those of cabs. Not as fast as cars, they are more picturesque and much more fun.

By car Peru

Renting a vehicle is easy, but not recommended. Even if the state of the Peruvian roads has improved, they are dangerous during the rainy season, and are cluttered with caravans of trucks and buses. Accidents are frequent and very serious, as evidenced by the thousands of funeral altars set up on the side of the road. Yellow lines and speed limits, as well as traffic lights and stop signs are not respected. Also, when driving, the utmost caution is required

There are car rental agencies in all cities. Prefer all-terrain cars for the sierra. It is necessary to count approximately 25 US$ per day, plus 0,25 US$ per kilometer, which makes the hiring relatively expensive. On the other hand, gasoline is cheaper than at home: from S/14 to S/16 (about 4 €), depending on the quality, for almost four liters (one gallon).

Often the rental areas are limited depending on the model chosen (the bigger the car, the further away you can go) and it is still rare to be able to rent a car at a starting point and return it elsewhere. For short trips or to explore a region, you can consult Avis (avis.com.pe), Budget (budgetperu.com), Hertz (hertzperu.com.pe) or Sixt (sixt.com).

Accessibility Peru

The Metropolitano in Lima is equipped with ramps and areas dedicated to wheelchairs and/or strollers, but unfortunately this is the only example that can be applied.

It is not uncommon for the cobradores of the combis to help the elderly or mothers with children to climb onto the bus, sometimes in rather rocky safety conditions, but the effort is worth noting.

The sidewalks in Lima, in the tourist areas, are generally quite wide, which is good news, but the crosswalks are not all equipped with the necessary height difference to facilitate the passage of strollers or wheelchairs. Drivers are also not very respectful of pedestrians.

In the provincial cities, the situation is unfortunately even more complicated especially in the narrow, tortuous and sloping streets of Cusco where we advise people in wheelchairs to avoid the hills of San Blas and Santa Ana, at least for accommodation.

Tourist traps Peru

Fake cabs: in the big cities, especially in Lima, thousands of employees earn a small bonus with their car, after putting a "cab" sticker on the windshield. Only take cabs with the cab hat on the vehicle and the plate indicated on the side of the vehicle. VTCs are an exception, of course.

In Arequipa, fake cabs are rampant: be careful

Bring some change if you pay in cash. It is not uncommon for drivers to have little change on them, whether in combis or VTCs

Cabs looking for change. Sometimes when you are walking around you can be honked at by a car with a passenger, usually in the back, who is looking to change a bill of S/ 50 or S/100, supposedly to help the passenger who is in cahoots. Be the one who doesn't understand, because unfortunately the recovered bills are fake