Modes of transport in Lima.

Hello everyone! Today I want to give all the future and new students tips to be able to move throughout my city, a city with 9 millions inhabitants and with truly diabolical traffic in the rush hours (as we say here), that are from 07:00 hrs until 09:30 hrs and in the evenings from 17:30 hrs until 20:00 hrs, approximately.

Lima is a city that is recently adapting to changes and for now we have these modes that would be the quickest for us:

1. The Electric train

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The train was recently inaugurated a few years ago and now it works as the section that connects Lima with the biggest district of Lima, San Juan de Lurigancho, which has nearly a million inhabitants. The train also takes you to the Gamarra shopping centre, considered the biggest clothes centre in all of South America and where you can find different streets of clothes made in Peru at affordable prices. For example, did you know that the best cotton in the world is Peruvian cotton? Now, you know :) Even though there are also clothes made in China arriving making competition.

2. The metropolitan bus

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This is a segregated bus that connects North Lima with South Lima. The cost is 2, 50 nuevo soles per journey and you can buy the cards at every station as well as top it up there.

My suggestion is that you never top it up in the rush hours since you are going to enjoy what it is to live a nice wait plus the traffic of impatient people who want to be served quickly. The cards of the metropolitan can be used by more than one person when they are yellow, however, if you are a student you can apply for a school or university student card, and if they are personal so that you have a special and much lower rate (so don't hesitate in applying for it). Those cards, if they are personal and they catch you giving them to someone else they are going to take it off you, so be very careful with it.

The metropolitan takes you to lots of tourist places, like the centre of Lima, Miraflores, Barranco and parts of North Lima like Plaza Lima Norte.

And the traditional forms:

3. Buses and minibuses

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This type of transport is part of the bad management that has been happening in Lima since periods of Fujimorism (ex- Peruvian president who today is a prisoner). Travelling in them invests a lot of time and many of the drivers don't respect the rules of transit. Some, not to mention, all go at the speed of light to make a career and are to blame as they cause daily accidents in Lima. Many campaigns have been made to change this situation and to lower the amount of buses and minibuses, like the company Orion. Take care when you take this type of bus since sometimes they don't measure the risk. These modes of transport go throughout all of Lima and it is used by the majority of those from Lima. I hope that this changes.

4. Blue Bus

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The blue bus is a bus that crosses the Arequipa avenue and goes towards San Juan de Lurigancho from Barranco and Miraflores. It costs 1. 20 nuevos soles per person. This bus only stops in certain stations and there are different points along this straight line. You pay on the same bus or also in some stations where you will find the bus assistants with their hat and jacket of the municipality and who give you a ticket for each stretch.

5. Colectivos

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I would not recommend this method, however, it is in reality of Lima. People use some informal bus stops of the capital to call to people that want to get on them and pay a little more than a bus but less than a taxi. Normally, you will find long stretch stops like, for example, those that go from Lima to Chosica.

6. The "taxicholos", also known as mototaxis

You are not going to see this mode in the centre of Lima nor in the districts of high class like Miraflores. These taxicholos help you to travel short stretches and the prices are between 1 and 2 soles per journey, approximately.

Also, you will find them in the outskirts of the city or in some other high parts or also short stretches where there is not another public service.

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Another option for taking a mode of transport is the yellow taxis. Did you know that Lima is one of the cities with the largest amount of taxis? Well yes, Lima is full of taxis of different colours despite the fact that the colour should be yellow, so that you can haggle the price and and one will come after another until you can decide. When there is traffic they raise their price and if they see that you are a foreigner some take advantage in charging you a little more. So I suggest you enforce your rights.

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Finally, you can also find the taxi companies by calling by telephone for the established rates. For example, the number for taxi Satelital is 355 5555. Normally, they arrive within 15 minutes, then if they are delayed call them again.

I hope that this description of transport within Lima is going to help you. With me there will be another opportunity.

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