From the airport to the city centre Peru
Lima international airport is usually the arrival point for tourists. Some travellers in a hurry connect directly to Cusco or Arequipa. However, it's at Lima that you'll go through customs formalities to enter the country, as the other airports aren't equipped for this. In this case, you'll have to collect your luggage and check it in again. For those who visit Lima, once you've got over the initial impression of greyness, you shouldn't regret it, as the capital has so many different faces to offer. Miraflores and Barranco, along the coast, are the best places to stay.
To reach them, authorized cabs offer their services just outside customs. They offer fixed fares (S/65 for Miraflores or Barranco) and payment by credit card is possible. Cab Green is one of the leading companies.
Mini-bus shuttle services are also available with Quickllama (quickllama.com, S/20 from Miraflores hotels or Parque Kennedy) or Airport Express (airportexpresslima.com, S/15).
The public bus service in Lima is rather chaotic and the units are small, so it's hard to get a seat with bags or suitcases, and we don't recommend it.
VTCs can also be ordered with a departure point from the airport. Be careful not to leave the airport premises, even if the fare could be negotiated at a better price, it's a hectic area. For a few soles, it's not worth starting your trip with a bad experience.
Note that an international airport was due to open in late 2024-early 2025. There will then be an international and a national airport in Lima.
Arrival by train Peru
In Peru, as in many Latin American countries, the train was replaced by the road due to a lack of resources. Geographical conditions made this means of transport extremely expensive to maintain. Even if you can't get to Peru by train, there are a few emblematic lines.
The Ferrocarril Central Andino (Lima-Huancayo-Lima, ferrocarrilcentral.com.pe) has not resumed service. The railroad crossed a multitude of tunnels and suspension bridges at the foot of mountains covered in eternal snow.
The Tren Macho between Huancayo and Huancavelica is the only popular train on a journey of just a few hours through the heart of the Andes. You'll have to ask in either town about the somewhat hazardous schedule.
The Belmond Andean Explorer is a new luxury rail line linking Arequipa, Puno and Cusco by sleeper train, with the service and elegance of a 5-star. The price is accordingly high (from 2 days/1 night, perurail.com).
The Titicaca Train runs back and forth between Cusco and Puno, with gourmet lunch on board, live entertainment and the elegance and cachet of vintage Pullman carriages (10h trip, from US$270, 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), connecting them to the village of Machu Picchu Pueblo by train. Car types and services vary from the most economical (Expedition or Voyager) to the most panoramic (Vistadome, 360°). The most elegant and prestigious are the Sacred Valley operated by Peru Rail from Urubamba and the Hiram Bingham from Cusco's Poroy station, which include gourmet meals, shows and, for the Bingham, exclusive shuttles to the Machu Picchu Sanctuary, a visit and tea at the nearby Belmond Sanctuary Lodge.
Arrival by boat Peru
Although not the gateway to Peru, the boat is one of the best ways to get around the Amazon.
Luxury cruises on the Amazon depart from Iquitos, operated by Aqua Expeditions (aqueexpeditions.com) and Delphin (delfinamazoncruises.com).
Fast small boats or large, crowded ferries, very inexpensive and sure to leave you with unforgettable memories 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 Internet sites, but a few companies emblematic of the name of their boat, such as Henry or Eduardo. Tickets can be bought on the spot, and you have to visit the port regularly to check how full the boat is. You're never more than a day or two away.
Public transport Peru
Buses are the most widespread, inexpensive and convenient means of transport. The country is criss-crossed in every direction by these vehicles, which encourage frequent travel. The state of the roads and of the buses themselves (the most dilapidated are assigned to the worst tracks) means that in Peru, journeys are not counted in kilometers, but in hours, and these hours can be extended depending on rainfall or damage.
Major inter-provincial routes: many companies, along the coast or to major tourist destinations (Cusco, Arequipa, Puno), offer vehicles with toilet, dinner, breakfast and hostess. This service is more expensive, but don't let the difference put you off, especially for very long journeys. In Peru, there are either bus "terminals" where the various companies are grouped together (Cusco, Puno, Arequipa), or they are generally all located within a few cuadras of each other. As far as fares are concerned, they vary little, so it's best to choose those with good vehicles and the best reputation. These include Cruz del Sur (cruzdelsur.com.pe), Oltursa (oltursa.com), Movil Tours (moviltours.com.pe) and Civa (civa.com.pe).
People with back problems and those over 1.80 m tall 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 films are shown (those who are bothered by the noise should bring earplugs). For journeys in the sierra, the best seats are at the front of the bus, where it's less jarring. To choose your seat and be sure of getting one, reserve the day before, or in the morning for the evening. Most buses run at night, which saves a night's hotel accommodation and precious daylight hours that could be devoted to sightseeing. If the bus arrives at its destination in the middle of the night, don't panic: the code obliges the carrier to keep passengers under cover until daybreak.
Redbus (redbus.pe) is a booking portal for several bus companies. Tickets can be purchased directly on the site using Visa, MasterCard, American Express and PayPal. The ticket arrives at your e-mail address and/or telephone number. You'll need to arrive at the bus station 40 minutes beforehand to get your physical ticket. The icing on the cake is that the site is entirely available in French, and you can assign ratings to the companies and types of bus, so that everyone can find their way around. That's great!
Lima is the only city to have modernized public transport , with two systems that are unfortunately not connected to each other.
The Metropolitano (metropolitano.com.pe) has its own bus lanes and serves Barranco, Miraflores and the Historic Center, for example. Busiest mornings and evenings. You'll need to buy a Metropolitano card for S/5. Additional trips cost S/3.20. Several people can use the service on the same card. It can be recharged at certain stations or in Tambo stores.
Línea 1 (lineauno.pe) is an aerial metro service linking 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. You'll need to purchase another green card at a cost 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 minivans provide connections from one point to another. The drivers' assistants shout out the directions, which are also displayed on the windscreens, which is very practical, although not always easy to read. Tickets cost from S/1.5 to S/3, depending on distance. How do I get off? We shout: paradero! It's best to know where you're going, or to ask the cobrador (the driver's assistant in charge of payments, who is increasingly rare) or other passengers. In these small combis, older passengers won't be able to see much of the road and will find it hard to sit down.
Colectivos. Colectivos are shared cars that follow a pre-established itinerary. They usually wait at the station and start when full. More expensive than the bus, they are nevertheless faster and more interesting for short journeys within the same region. You can find these shared services by asking for the "paradero" for the destination you wish to reach (for example, in Cusco, "paradero para Ollantaytambo"). Drivers are often risky, so be sure to call them to order. They are still very common in the provinces.
Bike, scooters & co Peru
Here again, Lima leads the way in terms of adaptability to new alternative modes of transport. After all, it's easier to pedal at 0 meters than at 3,500! So the city is slowly making way for more bicycle lanes, at least in trendier districts like San Isidro, Miraflores and Barranco. The same can't be said for drivers, especially of the famous combis. We therefore advise you to exercise caution.
Citybike Lima (citybikelima.com) has some 50 bike terminals, but only in Miraflores. You need to register on their app or on the Internet and take out a subscription: 1st pass at S/4.50 for 24 hours, allowing free rides of less than 30 minutes, then S/2 for each additional half-hour.
Numerous private rental companies provide bikes 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
Cabs. In Lima and other major cities, it's often easier to take a cab. Since taxis don't have a taximeter, you'll need to agree on the fare beforehand. To get an idea of the rates charged, simply ask at the hotel where you're staying or ask a local. In Lima, the reference company is Taxi Satelital (3555555satelital.com).
To avoid any inconvenience, it's best to carry the numbers of a few reputable companies with you, or to call a cab from your hotel or restaurant.
In tourist towns, the historic 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 (Cabify, Yango) work very well in Lima. Elsewhere in the city, you'll still find a lot of street fares negotiated on the spot.
Mototaxis offer their services in the villages. These are actually mopeds, equipped like rickshaws, and can be ridden by two or three people. Their fares are lower than those of cabs. Slower than cars, they are more picturesque and much more fun.
By car Peru
Renting a vehicle is easy, but not recommended. Although the condition of Peruvian roads has improved, they are still dangerous in the rainy season, crowded with caravans of trucks and buses. Accidents are frequent and very serious, as evidenced by the thousands of funeral altars set up on the roadsides. Yellow lines and speed limits are not respected, nor are traffic lights and stop signs. So, if you're driving, you need to be very careful.
Car rental agencies can be found in every town. All-terrain cars are preferable for the sierra. They cost around US$25 per day, plus US$0.25 per kilometer, making rental relatively expensive. Petrol, on the other hand, is cheaper than here: from S/14 to S/16 (around €4), depending on quality, for almost four liters (one gallon).
Rental areas are often limited depending on the model chosen (the bigger the car, the further you can drive), and it's still rare to be able to rent a car at a starting point and return it elsewhere. For short trips or exploring 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 dedicated areas for wheelchairs and/or baby carriages, but this is unfortunately the only example that can be applied.
It's not uncommon for the combis' cobradores to help elderly people or mothers with children to climb onto the bus, sometimes in rather rocky safety conditions, but the effort is worth highlighting.
The sidewalks in Lima's tourist districts are generally quite wide, which is good news, but not all crosswalks have the necessary gradient to facilitate the passage of strollers or wheelchairs. Drivers also show little respect for pedestrians.
In provincial towns, the situation is unfortunately even more complicated, especially in the narrow, winding, sloping streets of Cusco, where we advise wheelchair users to avoid the hills of San Blas and Santa Ana, at least for accommodation.
Tourist traps Peru
Fake cabs: in the big cities, especially Lima, thousands of employees earn a small bonus from their car, after putting a "cab" sticker on the windscreen. Only take cabs with the cab hat on the vehicle and the plate indicated on the side of the vehicle. VTCs are the exception, of course.
In Arequipa, fake cabs are rife, so be careful.
Bring some change if you pay in cash. It's not uncommon for drivers to carry very little change, whether in combis or VTCs.
Cabs looking for change. Sometimes when you're out and about, you may be honked at by a car with a passenger, usually in the back, who is looking to change a bill for S/ 50 or S/100, supposedly to help the passenger who is in cahoots. Be the one who doesn't understand, because unfortunately the bills you get back are counterfeit.