Air
Caracas Maiquetía International Airport is situated 26kms north of the city of Caracas and is a modern, two-terminal facility that provides the most significant gateway into and out of the country of Venezuela. Connections are maintained with the USA by major airlines such as Continental, Delta and American Airlines; with Spain by Iberia and Air Europa; with Italy by Alitalia and with France by Air France. The remainder of the international destinations are in South America with Brazil, Mexico, Cuba and Panama among the most frequently served.

The airport offers a good selection of passenger facilities with all the essentials covered and others aimed at comfort and convenience also included. There are full service banks in both the international and domestic terminals and currency exchange facilities are available at all. Both terminals offer a good selection of dining outlets with popular names such as TGI Fridays, Subway and Domino’s Pizza among them. For shopping, passengers will find a large number of stores among which are popular names such as Tommy Hilfiger, Timberland, Hugo Boss and Levis.

For ground transportation, passengers can choose between the public bus service and taxis. For those driving to the airport, there are short and long-term parking facilities available at both terminals.

Bus
It is feasible to travel from Columbia to Venezuela by bus, however services are operated by old and potentially hazardous vehicles and this mode of transportation is strongly advised against. It’s also not uncommon for buses to be held up by thieves and passengers relieved of their cash and valuables, so again it’s by far from being the most recommended option for reaching Venezuela.

Car
Travel by private or rental vehicle is possible but again not recommended. Should you choose to do it however, there are routes possible from neighbouring Brazil and Columbia. The former shares a border with Venezuela close to the town of Santa Elena de Uairén; a lengthy drive to the capital or other popular tourist cities would then be necessary. From Colombia, the border crossing can be made at Cúcuta over to the Venezuelan town of San Antonio del Táchira. Controls at both borders are very tight and visitors need to make sure they have all paperwork in order before attempting a crossing.

Sea
Venezuela has ports at La Guaira, Puerto Cabello, Maracaibo, Guanta, Porlamar and Ciudad Bolívar and services are available from both America and Europe. US visitors invariably use Venezuelan Lines while from Europe, there’s a choice of Hapag Lloyd, Polish Ocean Lines, Hamburg Süd and French Lines depending on your country of origin.

Air
Major Venezuelan cities including Porlamar, Canaima, Cumana and Maracaibo, are served by domestic flights from the capital city Caracas. Flights are operated by domestic/national carriers such as Aeropostal, Aerotuy, Avensa and Servivensa. No major destination in Venezuela is more than one hour away by air.

Rail
A rail service with limited coverage operates between Acarigua and Maturin. It’s not renowned for either comfort or efficiency so might not be the best option for getting around.

Metro
A 35-station Metro service in Caracas provides transportation between the city’s major locations.

Bus
Bus services around the country are fairly extensive and exceptionally cheap as a result of the low fuel costs. Terminals are frantic places and can seem a little overwhelming. However once you get over the atmosphere, you’ll find them relatively easy to negotiate and find a service to almost any major destination in the country.

Car
Roads are fairly hazardous places for those not accustomed to them as Venezuelan drivers are aggressive and have little regard for rules of the road. If you’re hardy enough to take them on however, car hire is an option that can be a cheap means of transportation on account of the low cost of petrol. The standard of roads can vary quite considerably around the country but is generally good in the capital and major cities.

Taxi
Taxis are widely available in Venezuela and despite being metered; it’s possible to negotiate a fare with the driver, prior to undertaking a journey. After 20:00, fares double but are still relatively cheap compared with other countries.

Water
There are no ferry services aimed at transporting passengers between major towns however a service between Puerto de la Cruz and Margarita Island.