Different ways of going around Lima - public and private transport.

Sunset in Lima

Twenty hour+ bus rides are never easy, even more when they advertise it as semi-bed and it turns out to be very uncomfortable with little space, not resembling a semi cama at all. After arrival we had to get a taxi to our hostel. 

We agreed on a price and were off. In the end the taxi driver was trying to charge us 15...but dollars! Un tipo muy vivo.

When we arranged the price, he didn't mention the currency...so we gave him 20, but soles. He seemed less than overwhelmed, so he didn’t give us the change back. It seems that it’s a typical encounter in Lima with a taxi driver. 

Traffic in Lima

It strikes at first sight that there are many different taxi companies, distinguishable by colour of the car: white, blue, yellow etc. None of them uses a taximeter, so before getting on, one has to negotiate the price.

We paid from Miraflores to the airport 30 soles, when a Peruvian usually pays 15-20 apparently. Then from the bus station to Miraflores we’ve been overcharged by the driver and paid 20 soles.

When it comes to public transport it is very similar to the operation of the taxis, again there are different “busetas” – some of them mini vans, some of them small buses, distinguishable by colours, shapes or sizes. There is no information on where these buses are going to, so you must ask people around. How annoying.

The fare also varied, if it’s a short distance 50 centavos, if it’s longer - 1 sol.

Corner of Tacna in Lima and one of its' buses

The system is very chaotic, as even though you are told which bus number to take…there is no number on the bus! We were prompted by a gentleman who helped us to get on the bus, but there was no number in the front, or if there was it was different.

The bus numbers ain’t easy neither… E01, D12, A3, E12 – they’re located in the left bottom corner of the bus, little plaque, hard to read from far. So…it is how it is. It needs to be replaced by a government owned public transport in the near future.

Metropolitana route

For the relief of the inhabitants in Lima – the Metropolitana exists. It’s an overground transport, with a separate lane, resembles a little bit of an underground, but it’s a bus and it’s overground. It goes through the main points in the city from North to South, but to most of the places you must take the “buseta” anyway. This one costs 2 soles per ride, but there is a trick. You must ask people to borrow you their card to open the gate for you. You load your money on their card, and they come with you kindly to open for you. There is no single entry ticket, only a magnetic card (4,5 soles).  How annoying.

Let’s hope a change will come soon and next time I visit the things will improve.