Asunción Getting There & Away

Getting There & Away

By plane From the US: American Airlines out of Miami,FL flies to Sao Paulo, Brazil. American Airlines stopped flying from Sao Paulo, Brazil in February 2006 therefore you will have to transfer to another airline to Asuncion. Other airlines are TAM and Varig from Brazil. Highly recommend getting a porter at Asuncion Airport to whisk you through customs, who is available after the red light/green light customs check. A visa is required to visit Paraguay which must be secured in advance outside the county and is only valid for 90 days. Canadians likewise need a visa, though it may not be necessary to secure the visa before leaving the country. For instance, travellers who will be passing through Argentina on their way to Paraguay can get their visa a day or two in advance from one of the consulates. By car If you rent a car it should be very well built. The streets are in horrible disrepair and travel by car is an unforgettable experience of bumps and potholes. Many streets are not paved at all. The Paraguayan drivers are unbelievable! No one stops for stop signs or red lights. To do so would be unmanly. If one car gets into the left turn lane another might join the first and even a third all jostling to be first making the turn when the traffic is clear. Pedestrians do not have the right of way and must yield to autos. There is a huge number of motorbikes, called "motos," weaving in and out of traffic. Right of way is determined by size. Buses and large trucks make room for no one. A large SUV can trump a family-sized auto any day. And autos try to crowd out motos. Motos of course try to run over pedestrians or bicyclists! By bus Buses are ubiquitous and cheap. They go everywhere in the city provided a knowledge of Spanish is assumed. Most are old and feel like they may rattle themselves apart any day. Taxis are also available and inexpensive, though again much easier to navigate with a command of Spanish.