How to Get from Lima Airport to the City Centre on a Budget

July 27, 2025
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If you are arriving into Peru to start your adventure of ancient Inka cities and stunning natural landscapes, you will likely be landing at Lima Airport. It is the only international airport in Peru.

The full name of Lima Airport is Jorge Chávez International Airport and it is located outside the capital of Peru, Lima. For tourists, especially those arriving with bigger luggage, it is not recommended to take public transport into Lima centre from the airport. The airport area is not that safe and chance of theft on the collectivos just too high.

That being said, there are still a couple super budget-friendly ways to get to and from the airport, which I have laid out in this article!

Lima itself is a stunning and vibrant city with so many things to do.
Related article: What to Do in Lima in 36 Hours: The Ultimate Itinerary

Table of Contents

How to get from Lima Airport to city centre?

Lima is Peru’s only international airport so you will likely start your journey here at Jorge Chavez International Airport. Taking public transport from or to the airport is not recommended due to safety. There are several ways to get into the city center:

By Taxi from Lima Airport to City/Miraflores

Taxi can actually be very affordable but pickup/dropoff is outside the airport gates around here.

InDrive is the cheapest – I managed to get from Miraflores to the airport for just 23 Soles ($6.50) for my early morning flight. InDrive is a Peruvian Taxi App where you negotiate the price of your journey and driveres can make counter offers. Don’t accept high offers straight away, cheaper ones will likely come in within a minute. You will need cash for it though, which you can get at the airport.

Uber also works in Peru but is a little more expensive, you can pay by card though. You can also get a standard taxi directly from the arrivals area but this will be the most expensive option, around 55 soles ($15.50) to Miraflores. There are set rates but taxi drivers will try and negotiate them up with additional costs. I’d recommend sticking to one of the other options.

By Shuttle/Bus from Lima Airport to City/Miraflores

If it works with your arrival/departure times, the shuttle buses that go from Lima City (usually Miraflores area) to and from the airport are the cheapest mode of transport.

There are two main ones I would recommend, Airport Express from 15 soles ($4) and Quick Llama for around 20 soles ($5). Quick Llama offers door to door transfers for the 20 soles, which is a great deal if your hotel/hostel is in the coverage area (mostly Miraflores which is the safest area to stay for tourists). If not both have their pick-up/drop-off locations in Miraflores.

Journey time for both buses is around 50 minutes depending on locations and I would recommend to take whichever one fits your flight schedule better. Both companies have good reviews.

How to get to Lima from other cities in Peru?

If you are coming from Cusco, Arequipa or Huaraz, you could also be arriving by night bus. You will be dropped at either Plaza Norte or Javier Prado. Javier Prado is closer to the areas of Miraflores and Barranco while Plaza Norte is closer to the airport. From there, you can get a taxi or bus to your accommodation. For the taxi, I highly recommend InDrive – it is a lot cheaper than Uber but you do need the exact cash.

Related article: Ultimate Guide to Travelling Peru by Bus

Where to stay in Lima, Peru?

You will notice that all the hostels and hotels I am going to recommend are either in Miraflores or Barranco. While there are other areas that are fine to stay in too, I felt safest in these two and they are where the majority of tourists stay. They are also both beautiful and must-visit areas in Lima, so it is worth staying there.

Check out my full Lima accommodation guide here: Where to Stay in Lima, Peru

🛏️ Viajero Kokopelli Hostel Barranco
🏨 Belma Boutique Bed and Breakfast
💎 Miraflores Park, A Belmond Hotel

How to get around Lima by public transport:

Lima has a relatively good public transport system that is mostly buses.

For the basic public buses, I always looked up the route on Google Maps and then just waited at the bus stop. You can stop them by waving your hand. The bus ride costs around 2.50 Soles and you have to pay in cash. Technically you need a reloadable card to take the bus, but all drivers let me on with theirs and I paid in cash.

If you are a few days in Lima, taking the Metropolitano or taking a lot of buses, you need to get the Lima Pass Card. It costs 4.50 Soles and is rechargeable. The Metropolitano are the “express” buses that have their own lane. There are 4 different lines and as a tourist, it’s best to take Line C as it stops everywhere. Each ride costs 3.20 Soles. If you only need it once or twice, you can have that amount ready in cash and ask someone to swipe their card for you, that way you don’t have to pay for the card. A lot of tours do this for you.

I found Google Maps worked okay in Lima – stop may not be exactly where it says but they show you the right bus or Metropolitano to take and then you can follow yourself on Maps to know when to get off.