Transportation in Venezuela
Venezuela has good international links with Europe and the United States, as well as direct road links with Colombia and Brazil. Whilst there is no train service throughout the country, the road network is excellent, with good roads, buses and inexpensive rental cars. Within larger cities you can get around by private taxi, inexpensive shared minibuses (por puestos) or by walking. Caracas also has a metro system.
Due to there being no passenger-train service, almost all travelling around Venezuela is done by bus.
This Venezuela Transportation Guide gives details of how to get to and from Venezuela, as well as information about getting around once in the country. Use it in conjunction with our Venezuela Tours page in order to plan your trip to see everything you want to see in the time you have. Our individual city sites also have transportation pages, which give more detailed information about getting to and from, as well as around, certain cities and regions:
- Canaima National Park
- Los Roques
Venezuela Transportation Guide
Getting to Venezuela
By Air
Most foreign visitors will enter Venezuela through the Simon Bolivar International Airport (locally known as Maiquetia airport). The airport is approximately a 30-minute ride from Caracas with buses available throughout the day. A taxi ride from the airport will cost between US $30 and US $70. For international departures at Maiquetia Airport the airport departure tax is around US $50.
Some of the major airlines serving Caracas non-stop from the United States include American Airlines offering daily flights from Miami, San Juan, Dallas and New York. Likewise Delta offers a daily service from Atlanta to Caracas, and Continental Airlines has a direct daily service from Houston. Air Canada offers a direct service from Toronto to Caracas four times a week.
From Europe there are non stop flights to Caracas from Paris with Air France, Rome and Milan with Alitalia and Madrid with Iberia and Air Europa. From Germany Lufthansa has direct flights to Caracas from Frankfurt and TAP operates a direct service from Lisbon with TAP. Copa Airlines serves the rest of South America from Caracas. Check with your flight operator for the latest information regarding routes and travel information.
Some of the major car rental companies offer car rental from the major airports including Caracas and Valencia. These companies include Hertz, Avis and Europacar. Expect to pay around $20-50 per day plus insurance and legal liability costs. When added together bear in mind that renting a car with a driver usually costs the equivalent amount. You will need an international drivers licence, which may be asked for by the police.
For transport from the airport to the city (or from the city to the airport), we recommend Green Path Transfers, who offer eco-friendly airport transfers in hundreds of destinations around the world.
By Car
Venezuela has direct road links to Colombia and Brazil. The road crossing to Brazil is close to the frontier town of Santa Elena de Uairen and is not a common point of entry. Border controls are tight and travellers arriving from Boa Vista are expected to have visas. The Venezuelan consulate is located in Boa Vista. Venezuela's main connection with Colombia is the frontier town of San Antonio de Tachira, about 50km from San Cristobal. Again the border control is tight with frequent searches. For a day visit to Cucuta no visa documents are required.
Getting Around Venezuela
By Air
There are good internal flight connections to all the major Venezuelan cities. Some of the major domestic Venezuelan airlines include Aeropostal, Alas de Venezuela, Aserca Airlines, Avior Airlines, Conviasa and Santa Bárbara Airlines. Check local listings and websites for the routes they serve.
Visitors to Venezuela are warned that airport tax may be levied on departure for domestic and international flights with some airlines neglecting to include airport taxes on the price of their tickets. Departure taxes due to be paid are paid at the airport. For domestic flights the airport tax is around USD $10. Flying between the major Venezuelan cities remains a viable option particularly as the distances between the cities can be very large an example being Caracas to Merida is close to 700km.
By Train
With the exception of the excellent metro in Caracas, no trains link the major cities in Venezuela. A single journey on the metro in Caracas costs US $0.25 but does not cover large parts of the city. Intercity buses remain cheap, a single costs only US $0.20.
By Bus
Bus transport remains the best way to explore Venezuela, although distances between the cities can be very large. It is normally easy to find a bus to any major city. Short bus journeys for two hours are cheap costing around US $8. Longer bus journeys for over nine hours will cost around US $25. The larger buses are typically air-conditioned sometimes have too much air conditioning, so bringing a blanket is advisable.
Visitors are advised to travel with 'Aeroexpresos Ejecutivos' buses which have their own terminal in Caracas. The service includes an airport like checking in and a comfortable service. Credit card is accepted for advance payment. For smaller towns, there may not be regular buses. In such cases, one can use cars-for-hire, called "por puestos". These buses cost around US $8 for a two-hour journey and are typically slow. Travellers undertaking any bus travel are recommended to carry identification and be aware of corrupt officials seeking bribes.
By Car
The cost of unleaded fuel is around $0.32 per litre with many gas stations. A reserve canister of fuel is recommended when driving to remote areas. The condition of the roads can vary in places and traffic can be chaotic in the major urban areas. Lighting in some areas is poor. Seatbelts must be worn and although the maximum speed limit is 80km/hr an hour, traffic on highways frequently speeds at more than 160km/hr. Your international drivers licence is required at all times and may be asked for by the police.
