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Transportation in Merida, Venezuela

Merida is one of the most popular cities in Venezuela among tourists. It is the capital of Merida, one of the 23 states of Venezuela. The city has a numerous tourist attractions including Merida Cable Car, Bullfighting Arena of Merida, Government Palace, Cathedral of Merida, Iglesia del Carmen, Beethoven Park, Aquarium Garden and Boulevard de los Pintores.

When planning your trip to Merida, one of the most important things to consider is transportation. The following tips will help you choose the mode of travelling that suits you best.

Travelling to Merida

You can enter Merida using different modes of transportation. They include:

By Air – Since Merida does not have an airport of its own, those flying to the city use the El Vigia Juan Pablo Perez Alfonzo Airport. It is situated in Alberto Adriani Municipality, one of the 23 municipalities in the state of Merida. The airport is at a distance of around 75 kilometers from Merida.

By Road – In case you are in one of the cities surrounding Merida such as Valera, travelling by road is very feasible. In fact the trip by road is considered quite enjoyable because of the beautiful landscape that one gets to see on the way. The journey by road can be made in a car as well as by bus. Different bus services from cities such as Caracas, Maracay and Barinas offer transportation to Merida.

Travelling within Merida

There are different options available for tourists wanting to travel within Merida. Some of them include:

Trolley Bus Rapid-Transit System / Buses – The bus network in Merida is very expansive and it covers almost all the locations that citizens and tourists wish to travel to. Given the high demand of these buses, a rapid-transit system has also been developed. 15 out of 37 stations have been completed. The first station was inaugurated in 2007.

Taxis – Different types of taxi services are available in Merida. Some are part of private taxi service companies. You can request a taxi by calling up one of these services. Taxis that are not part of any private company are of two types – government-registered ones and private ones. The ones registered with the government bear yellow number plates and are relatively safer. And those with white number plates are private taxis. It is suggested that as a tourist, you use taxi services by calling them up instead of hiring a taxi off the street.

Rent-a-Car Services – If you wish to be on your own in the beautiful city while enjoying the comfort of having own car, renting a car is the most feasible option. If you’re travelling with your family, this may be the best thing to do. You will be able to easily place your belongings in the car throughout the trip without having to carry them on your backs while travelling. The only drawback is that you’ll have to come back to the spot where you rented the car from as compared to leaving the city spontaneously through a route different from which you had entered.