The national airline is TACA (TA) (website: www.taca.com).

US$22 (transit passengers proceeding within six hours, and infants under two years of age are exempt) and an immigration tax of US$2.65.

San Salvador (SAL) (El Salvador International) (website: www.aeropuertoelsalvador.gob.sv) is 62km (38 miles) from the city. To/from the airport: Minibuses and taxis to the city are available (journey time – 40 minutes). Facilities: Restaurants, shops, car hire, banks, hotel reservation desk, left luggage and Wi-Fi Internet access.

Main ports: Acajutla, La Unión and La Libertad on the Pacific coast.

There are no longer rail links to Guatemala.

Transportes Mermex (tel: 2279 3676; website: www.transmermex.com.sv) operates buses between El Salvador and Guatemala. Pullmantur buses (tel: 2243 1300; website: www.pullmantur.com) travel from Guatemala City and from Tegucigalpa (Honduras) to San Salvador. Transnica (tel: +505 270 3135, in Nicaragua; website: www.transnica.com) runs bus services between Managua (Nicaragua) and San Salvador. Tica Bus (tel: 2222 4808, San Salvador bus terminal; website: www.ticabus.com) runs buses from Tapachula (Mexico) to Guatemala and on to San Salvador; buses from San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa (Honduras) to San Salvador; and buses from Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua to El Salvador.

There are no scheduled domestic flights.

San Salvador’s railways are managed by FENADESAL (Ferrocarriles Nacionales de El Salvador) (website: www.fenadesal.gob.sv). However, there are no passenger services at present.

Traffic drives on the right. Road conditions vary. Rebuilding of roads following the 2001 earthquakes is nearly complete. Car-jackings are frequent in El Salvador (especially in the cities) and drivers are advised to travel only by day and with the doors locked at all times. New cars, particularly with foreign licence plates, are frequent targets. Automóvil Club de El Salvador (tel: 2231 5555; website: www.aces.com.sv) has reciprocal agreements with some international motoring organisations and can provide further information on driving in El Salvador.

Bus: A good service exists between major towns, although there can be delays if the weather is bad. Buses can be hailed. Pickup trucks are an alternative method of transport to remote areas.

Car hire: Available in San Salvador and from the airport from international and local firms.

Regulations: Seat belts must be worn. Speed limits vary from region to region.

Documentation: A national or International Driving Permit is required for 30-day visits, after which visitors need to obtain a Salvadoran licence.

Bus: City buses offer a good service, but are often crowded.

Taxi: Plentiful but not metered, so it is advisable to agree the fare beforehand. Taxis are yellow and can usually be found cruising the streets looking for pick ups. Alternatively, head to the town square (or similar), where taxis usually congregate between fares. Many large hotels have their own taxi services. Taxi drivers do not expect tips, except when the taxi has been hired for the day.

The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from San Salvador to other major cities/towns in El Salvador.

	Road
Costa del Sol	1.30
Santa Ana	1.15
San Miguel	3.00