Silvio Pettirossi International Airport is the country’s main airport and its chief international gateway. It’s located just outside of the city centre in the suburb known as Luque. The main airlines operating flights to and from the airport are Aerolineas Argentinas, Aerosur, Gol and TAM Mercosur. Despite its status, the airport maintains few direct connections with Europe or North America, so visitors from these destinations are often obliged to fly to Buenos Aires or Sao Paolo and take a connecting flight.

From the airport to the city, there are public buses as well as taxis from outside of the Arrivals area of the terminal. There are also car rental companies operating inside the terminal.

It’s possible to reach Asuncion by long distance bus, with services available from Buenos Aires (17 hours), Encarnacion (seven hours), Concepcion (six hours) and several other major destinations. Driving to the city or in and around the city is possible but not recommended as roads are in a poor state and local drivers are erratic in their habits. There’s also a boat service from Concepcion to Asuncion.

Most of the historic centre can be covered on foot but the extensive public bus service is a good option for getting around, with the network covering all of the city centre’s main areas and the suburban districts also. Taxis are widely available and are inexpensive but few drivers speak English so you’ll need a map and a phrasebook if you don’t speak Spanish.