Travel to Venezuela – Top Medical Schools

Venezuela: arrival and transport

How to get to Venezuela

Airplane

The most important international airport in Venezuela is the Simon Bolivar International Airport (also known as Maiquetia Airport) about 30 minutes drive from Caracas. It can be easily reached by buses and taxis. Caracas is connected to the USA and most of the major European cities via non-stop flights. Continental Airlines connects Caracas with Houston on a daily basis and with Newark on a weekly basis. American Airlines offers daily flights between Caracas and Miami, San Juan, Dallas and New York. While Delta Airlines provides daily connections from Atlanta, Air Canada flies non-stop from Toronto twice a weekto Caracas. From Europe there are connections from Paris (with Air France), Rome and Milan (still with Alitalia), Madrid (with Iberia, Air Europa and CONVIASA) and from Frankfurt/Main (with Lufthansa). Lisbon and Oporto are served by TAP. Copa Airlines flies back and forth between Maracaibo and Panama every day and also offers connections to all of South, Central America and the United States. American Airlines flies daily between Maracaibo and the USA.

Railways

There is no longer any railroad in Venezuela that can be used for passenger transport.

Bus

You should urgently refrain from crossing the border from Colombia to Venezuela by bus. The buses are in poor condition and not recommended. In addition, you can reach destinations in Venezuela from Brazil by bus from Boa Vista.

Auto

Venezuela has road links with Brazil and Colombia. The border crossing to Brazil takes place at the border town of Santa Elena de Uairén. However, this is very far from the usual tourist spots in the country and is rarely chosen for crossing the border. Border controls are compulsory at the Boa Vista (Brazil) border. Visas are required. If you don’t have one yet, you can go to the Venezuelan Consolate on Av. Benjamin Constant had one exhibited in Boa Vista.

From Colombia Venezuela is mainly reached from Cúcuta. The border town on the Venezuelan side is then San Antonio del Táchira, about 50 kilometers away from San Cristóbal. If you only come to Cúcuta for a day trip, you do not need to apply for a visa.

The border area is not entirely harmless. You should get it over with quickly.

Travel in the country

Domestic airplane flights are extremely cheap, especially if you book them locally. Nevertheless, they are well above bus prices. Highly recommended flights are for example to/from Merida, which has a runway on an inclined plane and can only be approached from Turboprops. A flight from Ciudad Bolívar to Kavak in the Gran Sabana is also interesting, because the city is only served by small Cessnas, and the trip can be easily combined with a flight over the Salto Ángel, the highest waterfall in the world (also called Angel Falls).

Bus

The bus is probably the cheapest and most widely used means of transport in the country. In all larger cities of Venezuela there is at least one bus station, whereby you should make sure that you do not always return to the bus stop at which you arrived. You cannot rely on the inadequate signage. You should also keep in mind that the bus stations are very hectic. The bus connections between the individual cities are provided by several bus companies. Larger (and more expensive) buses have air conditioning, which unfortunately is often set in such a way that you might freeze to death. Highly recommended bus companies include “Aeroexpresos Ejecutivos”, which also has its own terminal in Caracas(Chacao, Bello Campo). In addition to the buses, so-called “por puestos” also run. These are mostly old and shabby vehicles that can hold around 4 to 5 people and go back and forth between smaller towns. They usually only start when the car is full.

Railways

There is no railroad in Venezuela.

Underground

The capital Caracas has a modern, clean and inexpensive underground, which is currently being expanded.

Car

Renting a car is not recommended because of the poor road conditions and aggressive traffic in the country, even if this type of travel is very tempting due to the low gasoline prices. Those who can’t help but find rental cars in all major cities. Travelers must always have a passport with them in the country, as there are military checkpoints on many roads.

For your own safety, avoid doing the following things in Venezuela:

– Driving in the dark

– Camping or hitchhiking

– Driving without first asking which places to avoid

Taxi

Driving a taxi in Venezuela is very cheap and, in contrast to driving yourself, safer. It’s the typical way to get around cities. The prices for the trips should be negotiated in advance, because the taxis do not have a taximeter. There is a surcharge at night.

When arriving at an airport, one should not go into the offers of “taxi drivers” in the respective arrival hall. It is advisable to only use the official airport taxis. These are black SUVs from the Ford Explorer car brand and have a yellow license plate. The problem is that you could be robbed by supposedly friendly taxi drivers.

Traffic rules

Traffic is on the right in Venezuela.

In order to avoid trouble with the police or even the courts, one should strictly adhere to the traffic rules applicable in the country. The maximum speeds shown can of course be reduced or increased by traffic signs. Regardless of the information given here, it is advisable to obtain detailed information from the ADAC, the AvD or the traffic clubs in the country concerned.

One should adhere to the speed limits in the country and remember that there are many accidents in Venezuela. Most of these are caused by driving at excessive speed on the bad roads. Anyone who wants to drive their own car in Venezuela should be reminded that local drivers are extremely aggressive and usually ignore traffic regulations. At a pedestrian crossing, pedestrians do not have the right to simply cross the street, as they are used to in Europe. So if you as a motorist stop at such marked places to let a pedestrian pass, you could cause an accident, as nobody really expects it.

It is forbidden to park in front of bank buildings in Venezuela. Motorcyclists must wear a helmet that does not cover the face. Rules like these are more strictly observed than driving over a red light. Road traffic is very chaotic and one should not rely on all participants to follow the traffic rules.

International license plate

According to Abbreviationfinder, Venezuela’s international license plate is:

Embassies and consulates

Visit Countryaah for a full list of Venezuela embassies and consulates in each country around the world.

Representations of Venezuela in Germany

The Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is located in a functional building on Schillstrasse in the Schöneberg-Steglitz district. Schillstrasse is an extension of Klingelhöferstrasse and is close to Urania. The nearest underground stations are Nollendorfplatz (U1, U2, U3 and U4) and Wittenbergplatz (U1, U2 and U3). The bus stop for bus routes 100, 106, 187 and N 26, where the N stands for night bus, is located near the embassy. Embassy of Venezuela Schillstrasse 10 10785 Berlin Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 83 22 40 0 Fax: 0049 – (0) 30 – 83 22 40 20 Email: embavenez.berlin@botschaft-venezuela.de Web: www.botschaft- venezuela.de

Consulate General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Frankfurt

Eschersheimer Landstrasse 19-21

60322 Frankfurt am Main

Tel: 0049 – (0) 69 – 91 50 11 00

Fax: 0049 – (0) 69 – 91 50 110 18/-19

Web: www.consulvenezfrankfurt.de

Consulate General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Hamburg

Rothenbaumchaussee 30

20148 Hamburg

Tel: 0049 – (0) 40 – 41 01 241

0049 – (0) 40 – 14 01 271

Fax: 0049 – (0) 40 – 41 081 03

E-Mail: conve.dehbg @ mre.gob.ve

Honorary Consulate of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Endingen

Kenzinger Strasse 28

79346 Endingen

Tel: 0049 – (0) 7642 – 92 21 30

Fax: 0049 – (0) 7642 – 92 21 32

E-Mail: helmut@eitenbenz.de

Honorary Consulate of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Kiel

Bergstrasse 2

24103 Kiel

Tel: 0049 – (0) 431 – 97 83 75

Fax: 0049 – (0) 431 – 97 83 95

Honorary Consulate of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Munich

Sendlingerstraße 14

80331 Munich

Tel: 0049 – (0) 89 – 22 14 49

Fax: 0049 – (0) 89 – 29 16 24 80

E-Mail: konsulat.venezuela@web.de

German representations in Venezuela

Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Caracas

Avenida Eugenio Mendoza (Principal de la Castellana) y Avenida José Angel Lamas, Edif. La Castellana, 10th floor – La Castellana

Caracas

Tel: 0058 – 212 – 219 25 00

Fax: 0058 – 212 – 261 06 41

Email: info@caracas.diplo.de

Web: www.caracas.diplo.de

Honorary Consulate of the Federal Republic of Germany in Maracaibo

Avda. 3 F No. 69-26, Sector Bellas Artes

4002 – Maracaibo, Edo. Zulia

Tel: 0058 – 261 – 791 14 16

0058 – 261 – 792 29 55

0058 – 261 – 793 00 53

Fax: 0058 – 261 – 792 29 54

E-Mail: herrmann@cantv.net

Honorary Consulate of the Federal Republic of Germany in Porlamar

Hotel Hilton & Suites, Lobby Hotel Hilton Suites, Calle Los Uveros

Urb. Costa Azul Porlamar, Edo. Nueva Esparta

Tel: 0058 – 295 – 262 84 75

0058 – 414 – 789 40 05

Fax: 0058 – 295 – 262 84 75

Email: haciendax@cantv.net

Honorary Consulate of the Federal Republic of Germany in San Cristóbal

Carrera 3 con Calle 4, Centro Colonial Dr. Toto Gonzáles, p. 1, Of.7

San Cristóbal/Edo. Táchira

Tel: 0058 – 276 – 343 62 18

0058 – 276 – 344 19 06

0058 – 414 – 704 07 70

Fax: 0058 – 276 – 344 19 06

E-Mail: kmargeit@hotmail.com

Austrian representations in Venezuela

Austrian Embassy in Caracas

Avenida Orinoco (entre Mucuchíes y Perijá)

Las Mercedes, Torre D & D – Piso PT – Oficina PT-N

1060 Caracas

Apartado 61.381

Caracas 1060-A

Tel: 0058 – 212 – 991 12 11

Fax: 0058 – 212 – 993 27 53

0058 – 212 – 993 22 75

Email: caracas-ob@bmeia.gv.at

www.aussenministerium.at/caracas

The Austrian Embassy in Venezuela is still responsible for:

Antigua and Barbuda
Barbados
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Guyana
Haiti
Trinidad and Tobago

Representations of Venezuela in Austria

Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Vienna

Prinz Eugen Strasse 72/1st floor/Stiege 1/Top1.1

1040 Vienna

Tel: 0043 – 1 – 712 26 38

Fax: 0043 – 1 – 715 32 19

Email: embajada@austria.gob. ve

Web: www.venezuela-viena.org

Swiss representations in Venezuela

Embassy in Caracas, Embajada de Suiza

Centro Letonia, Torre Ing-Bank, piso 15, Av. Eugenio Mendoza y San Felipe, La Castellana

Caracas 1060:

Embajada de Suiza

Apartado 62.555

Chacao

Caracas 1060 A

Venezuela

Tel: 0058 – 212 – 267 95 85

Fax: 0058 – 212 – 267 77 45

Email: car.vertretung@eda.admin.ch

http://www.eda.admin.ch/caracas

The Swiss embassy in Venezuela is still responsible for:

Barbados
Guyana
Surinam
Trinidad and Tobago

Consulate in Maracaibo

Consulado de Suiza

Apte 532, Av 9 con Calle 76

4001 Maracaibo/Zulia

Tel: 0058 – 261 – 797 87 48

Fax: 0058 – 261 – 797 11 40

Email: maracaibo@honorarvertretung.ch

Representations of Venezuela in Switzerland

Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Bern

Schwarzenburgstrasse 73

3000 Bern 23

Case postale 1059

Tel: 0041 – (0) 31 – 350 57 57

Fax: 0041 – (0) 31 – 350 57 58

Email: embajada@embavenez-suiza.ch

Web: www.embavenez-suiza.ch

Venezuela: entry and exit requirements

Formalities, visas

Citizens of most western states do not need a visa when entering via direct flights. In principle, tourists are only allowed to enter the country if a return ticket and sufficient financial resources are available to finance their stay in the country themselves. Import and export of

Goods

The import and export of weapons, ammunition or explosives is strictly prohibited. In addition, the import and export of plants and animals protected under the Washington Species Protection Act is prohibited. Violation can result in severe penalties.

Entry with pets

To enter Venezuela with pets, the pet owner must have a health certificate for the pet in question. This health certificate must confirm that the animal is healthy. In addition, the international vaccination certificate must be carried for each animal. All animals to be imported into Venezuela must be vaccinated against rabies. Dogs must also be vaccinated against canine distemper. It should be noted that all vaccinations must not be more than a year ago. All documents and certificates must be signed and stamped by an official veterinarian and certified and translated by the Venezuelan consulate.

Venezuela: Travel Medicine, Vaccinations and Warnings

Infectious Diseases

In Venezuela, the following infectious diseases are to be expected, which are not or less common in Germany or Central and Northern Europe:

Malaria, there is a year-round risk of infection. There is no risk in the cities, the west coast or on Margarita Island. About 25% of the infections occur with the very dangerous malaria tropica, the rest with malaria tertiana.
Schistosomiasis, especially in the Maharashtra area
Chagas disease
cholera
Dengue fever
Intestinal infections from contaminated food or water, including amoeba, lamblia, salmonella, shigella, worm infestation and all kinds of viruses and bacteria
Filariasis
Yellow fever
Hepatitis A and B
Leishmaniasis Disease
Polio, polio
tetanus
rabies
typhus

Vaccination recommendations

When traveling to Venezuela, the following vaccinations recommended:

Diphtheria, a vaccination against diphtheria should always exist in your home country.
Yellow fever, absolutely !!
Hepatitis A and B, a vaccination against hepatitis B, is only required for people who may come into contact with blood or for those who seek sexual contact.
Polio, polio, a vaccination against polio should always exist, also in the home country.
Tetanus, a vaccination against tetanus should always exist in the home country.
Rabies, but only in high-risk travelers who can come into contact with the vector animals
Typhoid, but only in travelers who may come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food

Compulsory vaccination

The country is one of the yellow fever infection areas designated by the WHO. A vaccination against yellow fever is therefore strongly recommended.

Malaria prophylaxis

When traveling in the country, especially when traveling to the areas mentioned above, it is strongly advised to undergo malaria prophylaxis. However, if the side effects seem questionable to you, you should at least have a “stand-by preparation” with you.

Who pays for vaccinations in Germany?

Most children in Germany are vaccinated against a number of infectious diseases at an early age. However, the vaccination protection only lasts up to 10 years, in some cases even shorter. Therefore, before traveling abroad, you should carefully consider against which infectious diseases a vaccination is necessary or useful in the country concerned and whether the vaccination protection, if applicable, was not too long ago.

Most statutory health insurances have been reimbursing the costs for the following vaccinations since June 2007. There is even no 10 € practice fee – but the insured usually have to pay the statutory co-payment, which is 10% of the vaccine price – that is at least 5 € and a maximum of 10 €. Under these conditions, the following vaccinations are free of charge:

cholera
diphtheria
Early summer meningoencephalitis (TBE)
Yellow fever
Hepatitis A and B
Meningococcal meningitis
Pneumococci
Polyo (polio)
Tetanus (tetanus)
rabies
typhus

Some health insurance companies also reimburse the cost of malaria prophylaxis. As a rule, private health insurance companies (inquire beforehand) also cover the costs mentioned.