Travel to Peru

Peru: travel and transport

How do you get to Peru?

From Europe, travel by plane is of course the fastest, cheapest and most comfortable. Peru’s international airports are located in Lima and Cuzco. National airlines are Lan Perú (LP), Taca Perú (TA), Aero Continente (N6) and Aero Condor (Q6). The average flight time from Frankfurt am Main to Lima is around 15 hours. For international flights, a fee of currently US $ 28 is charged at Lima Airport, with the exception of transit travelers.

Aeropuerto Internacional Jorge Chávez

The city airport of Lima is located in the north bordering city of Callao directly on the Pacific Ocean and was named after the aviation pioneer Géo Chavez.

Travel in the country

Air connections

All national airlines in Peru operate domestic flights. They connect Lima with cities like Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Chiclayo, Chimbote, Huánuco, Cuzco, Iquitos, Juliaca-Puno, Piura, Pucallpa, Puerto Maldonado, Tacna, Tarapoto, Trujillo and Tumbes. Typically an airport fee of US $ 5 is charged.

Railroad

The Peruvian Railway Company has a rail network that extends from Puno to Cuzco to Machu Picchu, from Puno to Lake Titikaka and from Arequipa to the Cola Canyon. Branch lines run from Juliaca and Puno to Cuzco and Macchu Picchu. In addition, there are also short trips in the mining areas. There is a winter and summer timetable. There are generally two tariffs: Vistadome and Backpacker. Vistadome means comfortable travel with special service and catering on the go. It is advisable to buy train tickets a few days in advance as trains are often fully booked, especially in high season. The Hiram Bingham luxury train runs daily on the touristic route between Poroy and Machu Picchu (journey time around 3.5 hours).

bus

Buses are a popular means of transport in Peru. They run between the cities regularly and at short intervals. You can also get to remote areas by bus, using modern sleeper buses. Traveling by bus is generally cheap in Peru.

City buses and minibuses operate in Lima.

Streets

Few roads in Peru are paved and in good condition. Landslides and impassable roads make traveling difficult, so breakdowns must be expected. Especially during the rainy season, the roads in some areas are impassable and closed. The largest and most important road in the country is the Carretera Panamericana, which runs along the Pacific coast from Tumbes to Tacna. Another important road leads from eastern Lima over the Andes to Huancayo, San Ramon, La Merced, Huanuco, Tingo Maria and Pucallpa. The approval of the customs authorities must be clearly visible on all foreign vehicles. It is issued upon entry.

Rental car

Rental cars can be rented from international providers in Lima and other cities. For stays of up to 30 days, the presentation of the national driving license is sufficient, for longer stays an international driving license is required.

Taxis

There are taxi ranks in front of larger hotels and at the airport. The price should be negotiated before the trip, as the Peruvian taxis do not have fixed tariffs. Taxis are usually inexpensive.

Ferry connections

In Callao, the most important port in Peru, international cruise lines dock. There is a daily ferry connection on Lake Titicaca between La Paz in Bolivia and Puno in Peru.

There are regular ferry connections between Pucallpa and Iquitos. The crossing takes five days. River cruises are offered on the Amazon.

International license plate

According to Abbreviationfinder, the international license plate of Peru is:

PE

Peru: Embassies and Consulates

Visit Countryaah for a full list of Peru embassies and consulates in each country around the world.

Representations of Peru in Germany

German representations in Peru

Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Lima

A. Avenida Arequipa 4202 – 4210

Lima 18 – Miraflores

Tel: 00511 – 212 50 16

Fax: 00511 – 422 64 75

Email: info@lima.diplo.de

Web: www.lima.diplo.de

Honorary Consulate of the Federal Republic of Germany in Arequipa

c/o Instituto Cultural Peruano-Alemán, Calle Ugarte 207

Arequipa

Tel: 0051 – 54 – 21 85 67

Honorary Consulate of the Federal Republic of Germany in Chiclayo

José Francisco Cabrera Cdra. 1 (Casa Comunal de la Juventud)

Chiclayo

Tel: 0051 – 74 – 23 74 42

Fax: 0051 – 74 – 23 74 42

Email: abm@ddm.com.pe

You can find other honorary consulates in: Cusco, Iquitos and Piura.

Austrian representations in Peru

Austrian Embassy in Lima

Av. Central 643, 5th floor

San Isidro, Lima

Tel: 0051 – (0) 1 – 442 05 03

0051 – (0) 1 – 442 18 07

Fax: 0051 – (0) 1 – 442 8851

Email: lima-ob @ bmeia.gv.at

The Austrian embassy in Peru is still responsible for Peru.

All Austrian honorary consulates in Peru are currently closed.

Representations of Peru in Austria

Embassy of the Republic of Peru in Vienna

Mahlerstraße 7/22

1010 Vienna

Tel: 0043 – (0) 1 – 71 34 37 7

Fax: 0043 – (0) 1 – 71 27 70 4

E-Mail: embajada@embaperuaustria.at

Web: www.embaperuaustria.at

Peruvian Honorary Consulate in Innsbruck

Museumsstrasse 3

6020 Innsbruck

Tel: 0043 – (0) 512 – 284 556

Fax: 0043 – (0) 512 – 272 881

Email: che@tirol.com

Peruvian Honorary Consulate in Salzburg

Ginzkeyplatz 10/2

5033 Salzburg

Tel: 0043 – (0) 662 – 624 848 12

Fax: 0043 – (0) 662 – 624 848 22

Email: konsulat.peru@horvatits.at

Swiss representations in Peru

Swiss Embassy in Lima

Avenida Salaverry 3240

San Isidro, Lima 27

Tel: 0051 – (0) 1 – 264 03 05

Fax: 0051 – (0) 1 – 264 13 19

Email: lim.vertretung@eda.admin.ch

Web: www.eda.admin.ch/lima

Consulate in Arequipa

c/o Inca Tops SA

Av. Miguel Forga 348

Parque Industrial

Arequipa

Tel: 0051 – 54 – 28 25 58

Fax: 0051 – 54 – 28 21 71

Email: arequipa@honorarvertretung.ch

Consulate in Cusco

Av. Regional No. 222

Cusco

Tel: 0051 – 84 – 24 35 33

Fax: 0051 – 84 – 23 50 47

E-Mail: cusco@honorarvertretung.ch

Representations of Peru in Switzerland

Embassy of the Republic of Peru in Bern

Thunstrasse 36

3005 Bern

Tel: 0041- (0) 31 – 351 85 55

Fax: 0041- (0) 31 – 351 85 70

Email: info@embaperu.ch

Web: www.embaperu.ch

Peruvian Consulate General in Zurich

Löwenstrasse 69

8021 Zurich

Tel: 0041 – (0) 44 – 211 82 11

0041 – (0) 44 – 211 82 12

Fax: 0041 – (0) 44 – 211 88 30

Email: mail@conperzurich.ch

Web: www.conperzurich.ch

Peruvian Consulate General in Geneva

Rue des Pierres-du-Niton 17

1207 Geneva

Tel: 0041 – (0) 22 – 707 49 17

Fax: 0041 – (0) 22 – 707 49 18

Email: conperginebra@conperginebra.ch

Web: www.conperginebra.ch

Peru: entry and exit regulations

Formalities, visas

Tourists are only allowed to enter Peru if a return ticket and sufficient financial resources are available to finance their stay in the country themselves. For a stay of up to 90 days, travelers from Germany require a passport that is still valid for at least six months and, for minors, a child ID with photo (also for children under 10 years of age). The nationality mark must be “German”. A visa is not required for a planned tourist stay of up to 90 days. The length of stay is noted by Peruvian officials in the passport or on the immigration slip. Travelers are advised to ensure that the correct travel duration is actually stated. It is also recommended

Issuing of visas in Germany

Visa department of the Embassy of Peru

Mohrenstrasse 42

10117 Berlin

Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 206 41 03

Email: gabinete@embaperu.de

Issuing visas in Austria and Switzerland

See under Representations of Peru in Austria and Representations of Peru in Switzerland.

Import and export of foreign currency

  • Unlimited local currency
  • Unlimited foreign currencies

Departure fee

When leaving Peru, a fee of around US $ 28 must be paid in cash. Import and export of

goods

The import and export of weapons, ammunition or explosives is strictly prohibited. In addition, no plants or animals protected under the Washington Species Protection Act may be imported or exported. Violation can result in severe penalties. The export of coca tea from Peru to Germany is prohibited. Even the smallest quantities of loose or packaged coca teas are confiscated by German customs when they are discovered and can result in administrative fines.

Entry with pets

Pets require an international vaccination certificate to enter Peru. This vaccination certificate must contain information about the owner and the identity of the animal (age, breed, sex, color,…). Every animal that is to be imported into Peru must be vaccinated against rabies. This vaccination must have taken place at least 30 days before entry. The vaccination certificate must be certified by the official veterinarian and then translated into Spanish by the Peruvian consulate and certified again. It is also recommended to have an official veterinary certificate with you, which confirms that the animal is healthy. This must also be translated into Spanish and certified by the consulate.

Peru: Travel Medicine, Infectious Diseases Risks

Infectious Diseases

In Peru, the following infectious diseases, which are not or less common in Germany or Central and Northern Europe, are to be expected:

  • Malaria, there is a risk of infection all year round. Exceptions are the highlands of the Andes and the capital Lima. About 25% of the infections occur with the dangerous form of tropical malaria, the rest with tertian malaria.
  • Amoebic dysentery
  • Bacterial agitation
  • Chagas disease
  • cholera
  • Dengue fever disease
  • Intestinal infections caused by contaminated food or water, including amoebas, lamblia, salmonella, shigella, worm infestation and all kinds of viruses and bacteria
  • Typhus
  • Yellow fever, a particular danger exists in the jungle areas of the country. There is no risk of infection at altitudes above 2,500 m
  • Hepatitis A and B
  • Leishmaniasis Disease
  • Plague, occurring in parts of the country
  • tetanus
  • rabies
  • typhus

Vaccination recommendations

When traveling to Peru, the following vaccinations recommended:

  • Diphtheria, a vaccination against diphtheria should always be carried out, also in the home country
  • Hepatitis A and B, a vaccination against hepatitis A should always be carried out, also in the home country
  • Yellow fever
  • Tetanus, a vaccination against tetanus, should always be carried out, also in your home country
  • Rabies, only recommended for high-risk travelers
  • Typhoid, only recommended for travelers who may come in contact with polluted water or food

Obligation to vaccinate

People who are older than six months and who are arriving from an area of yellow fever infected by the WHO are required to be vaccinated against yellow fever. Peru itself or certain regions in Peru are classified as yellow fever infection areas by the WHO. For this reason alone, a yellow fever vaccination is urgently recommended.

Yellow fever vaccination of children

Regarding the vaccination of children, the following can be stated:

A vaccination against yellow fever resulted in a number of side effects, for example inflammation of the brain (encephalitis). Around two thirds of those affected are children under six months. Therefore, under no circumstances should children under this age be vaccinated. But children under one year of age should also not be vaccinated if possible. If in doubt, you should not travel to yellow fever infection areas with small children.

The vaccination against yellow fever may only be carried out in specially authorized yellow fever vaccination centers!

Malaria prophylaxis

When traveling in the country, it is strongly advised to undergo malaria prophylaxis. If the side effects seem questionable to you, you should at least have a “stand-by preparation” with you.

Who pays for vaccinations in Germany?

Most people in Germany are vaccinated against a number of infectious diseases at an early age. However, the vaccination protection only lasts up to 10 years, in some cases even shorter. Therefore, before traveling abroad, you should carefully consider against which infectious diseases a vaccination is necessary or useful in the country concerned and whether the vaccination protection, if applicable, was not too long ago.

Most statutory health insurances have been reimbursing the costs for the following vaccinations since June 2007.

There is even no 10 € practice fee – but the insured usually have to pay the statutory co-payment, which is 10% of the vaccine price – that is at least 5 € and a maximum of 10 €. Under these conditions, the following vaccinations are free of charge:

  • cholera
  • diphtheria
  • Early summer meningoencephalitis (TBE)
  • Yellow fever
  • Hepatitis A and B
  • Meningococcal meningitis
  • Pneumococci
  • Polyo (polio)
  • Tetanus (tetanus)
  • rabies
  • typhus

Some health insurance companies also reimburse the cost of malaria prophylaxis.

As a rule, private health insurance companies (inquire beforehand) also cover the costs mentioned.

Hazards/current warning notices

Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany

Citizens’ Service

Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 5000 – 2000

Fax: 0049 – (0) 30 – 5000 – 51000

Current warning notices:

www.auswaertiges-amt.de

Peru: currency, shopping and souvenirs

Shop

Shop opening times

  • Monday – Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. (supermarkets), others until 9:00 p.m.
  • Sunday: closed

There are also some shops that are open up to 24 hours.

Inexpensive or country-specific goods, souvenirs,

woolen items and carpets made of alpaca and llama wool, masks, hand-woven ponchos and replicas of old Inca jewelry, items made of silver, gold, leather and wood from artisanal, traditional production.

Currency

The national currency of Peru is the

Peruvian Nuevo Sol (PEN) = 100 Centimos.

The following banknotes are valid and in circulation in the country:

  • 10
  • 20th
  • 50
  • 100
  • 200 PEN

In many cities in Peru, it is already possible to withdraw Peruvian soles or US dollars with an EC card at ATMs, provided they have the MAESTRO logo.

Bank opening hours

  • Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Saturday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Sunday: closed

In summer, the opening times may vary slightly.

Travel to Peru