Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [86]
The principal domestic destinations from Lima are Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Chiclayo, Cuzco, Iquitos, Juliaca, Piura, Pucallpa, Puerto Maldonado, Tacna, Tarapoto, Trujillo and Tumbes. You can get flight information, buy tickets and reconfirm flights online or via telephone, but for ticket changes or problems, it is best to go to the airline office in person.
For general information on air travel in Peru, Click here. The international departure tax is US$31; the domestic tax is about US$6.
The following are the Lima offices of current domestic operators:
LAN (Map; 213-8200; www.lan.com; Av José Pardo 513, Miraflores) LAN goes to Arequipa, Chiclayo, Cuzco, Iquitos, Juliaca, Piura, Puerto Maldonado, Tacna, Tarapoto and Trujillo. Additionally it offers link services between Arequipa and Cuzco, Arequipa and Juliaca, Arequipa and Tacna, Cuzco and Juliaca, and Cuzco and Puerto Maldonado.
LC Busre (Map; 619-1313; www.lcbusre.com.pe; Los Tulipanes 218, Lince) Flies to Andahuaylas, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Huancayo, Huánuco, Huaraz, Iquitos, Pucallpa and Tarapoto on smaller turbo-prop aircraft.
Star Perú (Map; 705-9000; www.starperu.com; Espinar 331, Miraflores) Flies to Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Cuzco, Iquitos, Pucallpa, Puerto Maldonado, Talara and Tarapoto; with link service between Tarapoto and Iquitos.
TACA (Map; 511-8222; www.taca.com; Av José Pardo 811, Miraflores) Flies to Cuzco.
Bus
There is no central bus terminal; each company operates its ticketing and departure points independently. Some companies have several terminals, so always clarify from which point a bus leaves when buying tickets. The busiest times of year are Semana Santa (Easter week) and the weeks surrounding Fiestas Patrias (July 28 to 29), when thousands of limeños make a dash out of the city and fares double. At these times, book well ahead.
Some stations are in rough neighborhoods. If possible, buy your tickets in advance and take a taxi when carrying luggage.
There are an infinite number of bus companies. These are the most reliable:
Civa (Map; 418-1111; www.civa.com.pe; cnr 28 de Julio & Paseo de la República 575, Central Lima) For Arequipa, Cajamarca, Chachapoyas, Chiclayo, Cuzco, Ilo, Máncora, Nazca, Piura, Puno, Tacna, Tarapoto, Trujillo and Tumbes. The company also runs a more luxurious sleeper line to various coastal destinations called Excluciva (www.excluciva.com).
Cruz del Sur (311-5050; www.cruzdelsur.com.pe) Central Lima (Map; 431-5125; Quilca 531); La Victoria (Map; 225-5748, 903-4149; Av Javier Prado Este 1109) One of the biggest companies, serving the coast – as well as inland cities such as Arequipa, Cuzco, Huancayo and Huaraz – with three different classes of service: the cheaper Ideal, and the more luxurious Imperial and Cruzero. The more expensive services usually depart from La Victoria.
Movil Tours (Map; 332-9000, 716-8000; www.moviltours.com.pe; Paseo de la República 749, Central Lima) For Chachapoyas, Chiclayo, Huancayo, Huaraz and Tarapoto.
Oltursa (Map; 708-5000, 225-4495; Av Aramburu 1160, Limatambo) A short distance from San Isidro lies the main terminal for this very reputable company, which travels to Arequipa, Chiclayo, Ica, Máncora, Nazca, Paracas, Piura, Trujillo and Tumbes.
Ormeño (472-1710; www.grupo-ormeno.com.pe) Central Lima (Map; Carlos Zavala Loayza 177); La Victoria (Map; Av Javier Prado Este 1059) A huge Lima bus company offering daily service to Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Cañete, Chiclayo, Chincha, Cuzco, Huaraz, Ica, Ilo, Nazca, Paracas, Piura, Puno, Tacna, Trujillo and Tumbes, all of which leave from the terminal in La Victoria. It has three classes of service: Econo, Business and Royal. The Central Lima terminal is for buying tickets or arranging transport on one of the smaller subsidiaries: Expreso Continental (northern Peru), Expreso Chinchano (south coast and Arequipa) and San Cristóbal (Puno and Cuzco).
Soyuz PeruBús (Map; 226-1515; www.perubus.com.pe; Carlos Zavala Loayza 221, Central Lima) Frequent buses to Cañete, Chincha, Ica and Nazca.
Tepsa (202-3535;