| Flights to Caracas are readily
available from the US and the UK. From Australia and New
Zealand, round-the-world tickets may be the cheapest and
most flexible option. Flying into the country from other
South or Central American destinations can be problematic
and/or very costly. Be sure to research your options thoroughly.
The international departure tax is US$21 (US$39 if you've
stayed over a month).
Entry by sea is possible via the US, where travelers
can take a cargo ship from one of several ports on the
Gulf of Mexico. Alternatively, ferries run from the
Lesser Antilles, but there is no longer any service
between Venezuela and the Netherlands Antilles.
By land, there are road connections from Colombia and
Brazil, but not from Guyana. Travelers planning to use
the dangerous El Amparo de Apure-Arauca border crossing
or the Puerto Páez-Puerto Carreño crossing
into Colombia should consult their embassy to assess
the security situation. Colombian guerrilla attacks
on Venezuelan army posts resulted in a confrontational
buildup of troops on both sides of the border in March
1995.
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Getting Around
Avensa (along with its offspring, Servivensa) was Venezuela's
main domestic airline until it went bankrupt in 1999.
It now operates on a reduced scale. Its place has been
taken by Aeropostal, which has a network of routes servicing
most major domestic destinations. There are half-a-dozen
or so smaller carriers including Aserca, Laser and Avior,
which service regional areas. The lack of railways means
that buses are the primary form of transport through most
of Venezuela, and services are generally fast, efficient
and comfortable. There are frequent buses from the main
Caracas bus terminal to almost every corner of the country,
and prices are kept fairly low by the high level of competition.
Driving or motorbiking gives you added flexibility,
but it's expensive both to take a car into the country
and to rent one while you're there. Additionally, be
aware that road rules are rarely observed by local drivers,
which could make the undertaking somewhat hazardous.
Stops at national-guard and police checkpoints are common,
and travelers should follow instructions and be prepared
to show papers or be searched.
Local transport includes cheap but crowded bus services
and inexpensive shared taxis. Caracas has a modern,
efficient and cheap metro.
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Reaching
in Venezuela
