Getting Around in L-Town

Taking taxis in Peru, as opposed to other more developed countries, can be an interesting and an infuriating experience. It all depends on a few factors. This entry will not only allow me to gripe about the system and it's drivers, but serve as a helpful heads up to any one who is planning a visit to Lima.

The second week of training we took a field trip to the heart of Lima where are language instructors gave us the tools we needed to survive when trying to get around the city. The first lesson we learned was how to take a taxi. I though it strange at first that any well traveled adult such as myself had to learn how to take a taxi. I quickly realized the importance of knowing how to handle the situation. For any one coming to Lima, here are the essentials you need to know about taking taxis.


1. Taxi's do not have meters and there are no set prices.

2. You have to Bargain the price with the driver before you get in the taxi. If you do not know any spanish, you are in big trouble.

3. Taxi drivers will look at you and know immediately you are foreign and offer you double what you should be paying. Do not be afraid to bargain or refuse a driver who is charging too much.

4. Ask Peruvians on the street how much they would pay to take a taxi to Point A. Again, if you don't know spanish, you are in trouble.

5. Be prepared to have directions to the place you are going. Even if it is a well known destination, Taxi drivers never know where anything is. Despite the fact it is there job to know, they will still get mad at you if you, the foreigner, don't know where you are going.

6. Only get into a yellow or white taxi. Make sure the taxi has numbers painted on the outside. Lima is a dangerous city and it is not uncommon for a taxi driver to take you some where and rob you.

7. Always lock your door when you get into a taxi. If you have a backpack or bag, do not keep it on your lap but down between your legs. People will run by the car, especially if the window is rolled down, and grab whatever is on your lap.

8. If you are traveling with your luggage or other expensive items you don't want to risk loosing, don't take a taxi off the street. Ask the hotel you are staying in to call you a cab. These cabs do have a non-negotiable fee that is much higher than a taxi you would hail on the street. Luckily if you are a foreigner, the price may still seem cheap to you.

9. Since you bargain for your price at the beginning, you don't need to tip them. They are trying their hardest to rip you off, and it can be so infuriating the last thing you want to do is give them a few extra soles for their trouble

10. If you are unaccustomed to transportation in foreign countries, just remember to relax. All drivers will appear ruthless and disregard all common sense and politeness on the road. It is every man for himself and that is just the way things are. Accept it and try and try not to let it you drive you crazy.

11. Traffic rules are more like guidelines than laws. You will see people driving on shoulders and sidewalk, people making right hand turns from the left lane and people going the wrong way on one way streets.

12. The pedestrian NEVER has the right of way. Be careful when crossing the street.

13. In Peru, you don't hail taxis, they hail you. Especially if you are exiting a touristy area, there will be a slew of men bombarding you for their service. If you are simply walking down the street, taxis will honk as they come up behind you letting you know they are there. Often times they will pull up beside you and creep along with you as you walk saying "Taxi? taxi? taxi?". Even if you completely ignore them, will ask repeatedly until you finally say no.

Taking taxis in Lima can be very daunting for a traveler, especially if you they speak no Spanish. Honestly, I have no idea how people that don't speak a word get around. I know many tourists get suckered into paying extravagant sums. The silver lining is that taxis are incredibly cheap compared to the US and Europe. This is why foreign travelers are willing to pay what seems like so much to locals. A five mile taxi ride should only cost 1-2 USD. A 20 minute taxi ride should never cost more than $10.

The fact that taxi drivers never know where they are going makes me very angry. They drive around the city for a living. While the city is big, it is not THAT big. In my experience in taking taxis in large US and European cities, the drivers always knew even the most obscure locations. On occasion they would need the actual address. But in Peru, if you hand the driver a piece of paper with an address, you better have directions to go along with it.

Drivers always trying to rip me off because I look like I shouldn't know any better, is maddening. But what really infuriates me is the manner in which taxis peruse you trying to get your business. It makes sense to me, that if you are looking for a taxi you face on-coming traffic and hail them as they pass. I cannot understand why, if I am walking on the sidewalk with my back to on-coming traffic, that a driver would think I wanted a cab. As if all the honking and screaming he's doing is suddenly going to make me want to jump in and give him my money. But my favorite is when I come into Lima to do my marathon training. In my running attire, it is clearly obvious I am running for sport or leisure. But taxis still creep up beside me, stick there little finger in the air and say "taxi? taxi? taxi?". I am freaking running! Like I'm all of the sudden going to change my mind and hop in a cab.
I hope this information was useful to those planning or thinking about a trip to Peru. And for those who are not, I hope it was enlightening at least.