By Bus in Lima

Two types of buses—regular-size micros and the van-size combis—patrol the streets of Lima. You won't have to wait long for a bus; on major thoroughfares it's not uncommon to have half a dozen or more waving you aboard. You simply hop on at any intersection and pay the conductor as you leave. Fares are cheap, usually S/1.40, or about 45 for a ride of any distance. It's difficult to tell where buses are headed, as the signs on the windshields indicate only the end points of the route. The conductors hang out the door and announce the route with the speed of an auctioneer. A better way to discern the route is by the signs along the sides. The names of the major streets traveled will be listed. If a bus travels on a section of Avenida Arequipa, the sign will say Arequipa. If it travels the entire distance, it will say Todo Arequipa. When you want to get off, simply tell the conductor la proxima esquina, meaning "the next corner."