Lima may have close to 600 lines (Rutas), but only 12 of them are Rutas Recomendables. In this section I will share the characteristics of each Ruta Recomendable.
With close to 600 lines and on average 3 Combis passing per minute, the choices are bewildering. In this section I will explain how to travel to the most common destinations.
The purple Ruta Recomendable is the one passing Jorge Chavez airport. This Orion combi has a futuristic appearance and is generally riding without cobrador. This means that you will have to pay with the driver upon getting on the bus. Orion is a big player in the Lima combi world. They have many lines, but the quality of the buses varies a lot. Their best line is the IO06, especially because it is passing the airport. All the combis on this line are either the futuristic model or even newer big buses.
From the airport you can take this line to Miraflores, but you will have to change at some point. I suggest to change at Salaverry with Sanchez Carrion (old name: Pershing) and take the NO02 “La Sesosa” from there. Other options include changing at Brasil with La Marina, Javier Prado with Arequipa or Javier Prado with the Via Expresa (but in all cases you will have to walk a bit more between the stops). The total journey might last between 40 minutes and 2 hours, depending on the traffic.
Most tourists stay in Miraflores when they are in Lima. So this post will explain how to get around in Miraflores. Miraflores is home to a number of sights, for example: the Faro (firehouse), the Huaca Pucllana (pre-Inca temple) and the Parque Kennedy. Apart from sightseeing, Miraflores is great for shopping. Many tourists head over to Larcomar (modern style) or the Indian Markets in Petit Thouars (indigenous art). A detailed map of Miraflores can be found on the back side of the Rutas Recomendables Combi Map, and all the above places are clearly marked.
There are various exciting ways to discover Lima. Obviously riding a combi is one way. Another is to take a LimaWalk and discover Lima walking. Or you could decided to go on a bicycke with BikeTours of Lima. Some people might argue that Lima is far too dangerous for biking, but this is absolutely not the case. BikeTours says on their own website:
“…the tours are carried out mainly over bike lanes, beautiful parks, wide sidewalks, one way streets and always on flat areas. That is what make our tours suitable for people of all ages and levels.”
BikeTours offers three different tours. One could choose for the Bay Tour. This means biking in Miraflores, Barranco and Chorrillos all along the malecon (the seaside boulevard). This is a tour of about 4 hours and is very relaxing. Another option would be the Urban Tour. This 3-hour tour takes in Miraflores and a part of San Isidro. An option which is only available on Sundays is the Downtown Tour, going to Centro de Lima.
After paying the fare, the cobrador is supposed to give you a boleto, your receipt. Cobradores usually have one of two habits. Some of them charge everyone as soon as possible. In this case you usually get your boleto without having to insist. Other cobradores are rather charging people when they are getting off. In this case you usually don’t get your boleto.
You can typically influence this behavior slightly. For example if you sit near the cobrador in the front of the combi, you can motion to him (or her) that you’d like to pay, without waiting until they bother to collect the money. The big exception to the rule is when you try to pay a china (50 cents). They might accept it, but that virtually always means that it goes into the “black money pocket” and it will not be an official trip and therefore you can practically forget about getting a boleto.
