Search Flights from San Jose to Lima

Lima, which is the capital of Peru and also known as the City of the Kings, is a coastal city established on ocean shore in South America. The city, which is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and the Rimac River, is the center of policy, industry and education of Peru. Nevertheless, Lima is a city where crime rate and income level difference are very high. In the city, you can see shanty houses and luxurious buildings all together. 

In the city built on the foothills of the mountains, there are historical remains belonging to the Incas which are one of the ancient civilizations. Some of these remains are on archeological sites and some are in museums. There are many architectural structures inheriting to the city from the period prevailed by the Spanish.

With its interesting culture, Inca Pyramids, San Francisco Monastery, wonderful beaches, ocean waves for surfing enthusiasts, different cuisine and lively nightlife, Lima continues to welcome tourists all the year round. It is quite easy to travel around the historical city center of Lima consisting of straight roads and streets intersecting each other with right angles. Nevertheless, if you are going to Lima as a tourist, you will definitely need a means of transportation because the places you will want to see are not within walking distance or close to each other.

There is generally heavy traffic throughout the city. You can easily find a taxi in Lima. Apart from the green taxis operating at the airport, in the white taxis that you can find in the city center, driver and the passenger section is separated by a wire fence for safety. As a safer method, if you are going to use taxis frequently during your visit, you can call a taxi anytime you want by using an app that you can download on your smartphone. The taxis that are called with these applications are considered safer because they operate under certain companies. There is no taximeter in taxis. Fares are standardized according to regions, but you can bargain with the driver.

Public transportation in the city center is provided by metro and metrobus. The ticket price for metrobus is 1.5 soles for one pass. Today, there is only one completed metro route but new routes are being constructed. If you want to travel from Lima to other cities of Peru, it is recommended to use airlines rather than intercity buses or trains for safety reasons.

For domestic flights, it is required to pay 10 dollars as tax. The most comfortable means of transportation that can be used for travelling to the city center is shuttle service. For the passengers coming with tour companies, private buses are waiting at the airport. Car rental and airport shuttle service offered by hotels are other options for the transportation to the city center. It is aimed that it will be possible to travel to the city center from the airport by metro in 2019 thanks to the new metro route that is still under construction.

Airport Shuttle

You can easily reach the city center by using the shuttle services that you can find at the terminal exit. You can benefit from these services by yourself or in group and you will pay the amount depending on the situation. If you use the service alone, you will have to pay 25 dollars and if you travel in group, you will need to pay 6 dollars per person. The travel lasts about 45 minutes.

Hotel Shuttle

There are numerous hotels throughout Lima and some of them offer airport shuttle service. Even if this service is not provided by your hotel, you can get in contact with your hotel before your flight and ask your hotel to help you with transportation. For benefitting from airport shuttle service, you should make a reservation in advance and specify some information such as the number of guests or the amount of your baggage.

Taxi

You can easily and comfortably get to the city center by getting one of the green colored airport taxis waiting just outside the arrival terminal. You can recognize the airport private taxi drivers from the green cards hanging on their necks. There are also independent taxis waiting in front of the airport. They may take you to the city center at affordable fares but they are not recommended because of safety reasons. You can also call a taxi by using the app you will download on your smartphone. Since these taxis operate under certain companies, they are safer than the others. Transportation to the city center from the airport lasts about half an hour by taxi.

Car Rental

There are offices of car rental companies next to the exit of international arrival terminal. You can rent a car according to your budget and have a comfortable travel to the city center. You can also visit nearby places if you prefer renting a car. If your driver’s license is not appropriate for using a car abroad, you can rent a car with a driver. This is one of the most comfortable options.

Tour Bus

If you are coming to Lima with a tour company, the buses that will take their passengers to the city center or their hotels are waiting on a private parking area. You can see this area when you get out of the exit door. This is also a comfortable alternative.