Transportation

GETTING AROUND

To/From the Airport

There’s bus service between the Maiquetía airport and Caracas daily from 5:30 am until the evening. Buses are supposed to depart every half-hour, but, as is common everywhere in Venezuela, they usually don’t leave until they’re full. In the city, the buses depart until about 7 pm from Calle Sur 17 directly underneath Avenida Bolívar, next to Parque Central. Stairs connect the two levels next to the Museo de los Niños; you can also get down to the buses by Calle Sur 17 from Avenida México (or Avenida Lecuna). At the airport, buses leave from in front of both the domestic and international terminals. The last bus is supposed to depart from the international terminal around 8 pm and from the domestic terminal around 9 pm.

The bus trip either way costs US$2 to US$3 and normally takes about 40 minutes, but traffic jams, particularly on weekends and holidays, can double that time. If you are going from the airport to the city during rush hour, it’s faster to get off at the Gato Negro metro station and continue by metro to your final destination.

The taxi fare from the airport to Caracas depends on which suburb you go to. Sample daytime (6 am to 6 pm) rates are: the center US$22, Sabana Grande US$26, and Altamira US$30. Nighttime tariffs are about 10% higher. The fares from the city back to the airport are about 10% lower. Air-conditioned taxis may charge more. A taxi takes up to four passengers and shouldn’t charge extra for luggage.

Before boarding a taxi., check the correct fare (eg, with the tourist office) in order to avoid the usual overcharging. Nonetheless, drivers may overcharge you in the evening, after all the buses are gone, because they know you don’t have other options. Travelers have told of drivers asking exorbitant, nonnegotiable prices. Therefore, when you book your air ticket before your trip, make sure that you arrive at Maiquetía reasonably early during the day.

You may be approached by ‘taxi drivers’ inside the international terminal who will offer you a ride to Caracas for less than the official fare, but this should be viewed with suspicion. Their taxis are usually not in the regular taxi line, but are parked elsewhere. Some of these drivers are honest, but there may be some who mug you in the middle of nowhere.

If you have just an overnight stop in Maiquetía, there’s probably no point in going to Caracas. Instead, you may prefer to stay the night on the coast, although accommodation options became drastically reduced after the December 1999 disaster.

If you’re arriving late at night in Maiquetía, don’t venture outside the terminal farther than the bus stop and taxi stand (both of which are just at the building’s doors). Holdups at gunpoint have been reported by travelers, and you probably wouldn’t want to lose all your bags right after arrival in Venezuela.

Metro

This is the major means of getting around Caracas. It’s fast, well organized, easy to use, clean and cheap, and it provides access to most major city attractions and tourist facilities.

The French-made metro system has three lines, with a total length of 44km and 39 stations, The longest line, No 1, goes east-west all the way along the city axis, and you will use it most frequently. Line No 2 leads from the center southwest to the distant suburb of Caricuao and the zoo. The newest and shortest line, No 3, runs from Plaza Venezuela southwest to El Valle. More lines are planned, but it will take a while before they open.

The system also includes a number of bus routes, called ‘Metrobús,’ which link some of the suburbs to metro stations, You can thus easily reach San Bernardino, El Cafetal, Prados del Este, La Trinidad and other suburbs (plus intermediate points) that are not reached directly by metro. For example, the Centro Ciudad Comercial Tamanaco (CCCT) is accessible by Metrobús No 211 (La Trinidad) from the Chacao station and No 201 (El Cafetal) from the Altamira station (ask the driver to indicate where to get off - it’s not immediately obvious). All of the metro lines and Metrobús routes are marked on the Caracas maps posted in every metro station.

The metro operates daily from 5:30 am to 11 pm. The air-conditioned trains run every few minutes, but less frequently early in the morning and late in the evening. Yellow single-ride tickets cost US$0.45 for a ride of up to three stations, US$0.50 for four to seven stations, and US$0.55 for any longer route. Roundtrip tickets (boletos de ida y vuelta) of any distance cost US$0.95. The transfer ticket (boleto integrado) for the combined metro-plus-bus route costs US$0.60. Consider buying the multiabono, an orange multiple ticket costing US$4, which is valid for 10 metro rides of any distance. Not only do you save money, but you also avoid the seemingly interminable waits in the ever-present lines each time you’re at the ticket counters.

To get to the train platform, put your ticket into the slot on the turnstile, which opens and flips it back out to you. Keep it, because you have to use it again to open a similar turnstile at your destination. This time your ticket won’t be flipped back, unless it’s a multiabono. Bulky packages that might obstruct other passengers — as the regulations say — are not allowed in the metro. Backpacks are usually no problem, but use common sense and don’t carry large bags during rush hours, when trains are really crowded.

The metro is generally safe, though there have been some comments about pick pockets that operate in groups on the escalators of the busy stations, eg, La Hoyada, Bellas Artes and Plaza Venezuela. An example scenario might run as follows: The man in front of you drops something and bends down to retrieve it. His accomplices at the back push you, while the one directly behind you tries to pick your pocket.

Bus

The bus network is extensive and covers all suburbs within the metropolitan area, as well as all the major neighboring localities. Carritos (small buses) are the main type of vehicle operating city routes. They run frequently but move only as fast as the traffic allows, sometimes getting trapped in traffic jams. However, they cost only half the metro fare (US$0.25). You will use carritos when going to destinations that are inaccessible by metro. It’s probably worth taking a carrito ride anyway, just to get a taste of local culture; the radio will be blasting pop and the driver undertaking breathtaking maneuvers — definitely a different kind of trip from the smooth and silent metro ride.

Taxi

Identifiable by the ‘Taxi’ or ‘Libre’ sign, taxis are a fairly inexpensive means of transportation and are useful to get to places not reached by the metro. None have meters, so always fIx the fare before boarding. It may be difficult to wave a taxi down on the street, so either look for them at a taxi stand (there are plenty), or request one by calling any of the numerous companies that provide a radio service. Several companies, such as Teletaxi (Ph. No. 752 9122, 752 4155) and MóvilEnlace (Ph. No. 577 0922, 577 3344), service the entire Caracas area 24 hours a day.

Back to the Top