Simón Bolívar International Airport serves Caracas from Maiquetía on the Caribbean coast, 28 kilometers from the capital. The airport handles international flights from Panama City, Mexico City, Havana, Istanbul, and Madrid. Domestic flights connect to Maracaibo, Barcelona, Porlamar, and Ciudad Bolívar. Land borders with Colombia remain largely closed to regular traffic since 2015. The crossing at Cúcuta saw intermittent reopenings but remains unreliable for tourist entry. The border with Brazil at Santa Elena de Uairén permits crossings but requires Brazilian or Venezuelan documentation verification. Guyana shares a land border but no formal road crossing exists for regular vehicle traffic. Maritime entry through Puerto La Cruz and La Guaira requires prior clearance for private vessels.
Airport currency exchange operates irregularly. No reliable ATM network functions for international cards at the airport or in major cities. Bring United States dollars in cash. The official exchange system (DICOM) ceased regular operations in 2019. Street exchange exists but carries legal ambiguity and physical risk. Hotels in Caracas accept dollars directly. The government implemented a dual currency system allowing dollar transactions in 2019. Most tourism-facing businesses price in dollars. The bolivar experienced hyperinflation exceeding one million percent annually in 2018. Physical bolivar notes became effectively worthless for most transactions by 2020. Electronic bolivar transfers through Zelle or local platforms function for some domestic purchases. Carry small denomination dollar bills. Change for large bills proves difficult outside major hotel chains.
United States citizens require a visa obtained before arrival. The Venezuelan embassy in Washington suspended routine visa services in 2019. Processing occurs through the consulate in Houston. Japan, Israel, and most European Union citizens require visas. Applications demand an invitation letter from a Venezuelan individual or registered company. Tourist visas specify duration from 30 to 90 days. Approval timelines range from two weeks to six months. Journalism visas require approval from the Ministry of Communication. Overstaying results in fines calculated in bolivars, typically negotiable in dollars at departure. Extensions require appearing at SAIME offices in Caracas or regional capitals. Approved extensions take between three days and four weeks.
Visitors carry passport copies separately from originals. Police and military checkpoints occur on intercity highways. Identification must be presented on demand. Hotels require passport presentation at check-in, sometimes retaining copies. Driving requires an international driving permit alongside a national license. Vehicle rental companies demand both documents plus credit cards, though international credit card processing remains inconsistent. Proof of yellow fever vaccination became mandatory for Bolívar State entry in 2017 due to outbreaks in mining areas. Entry stamps determine legal stay duration. Missing exit stamps complicates future entries. Keep all entry documentation until final departure.
The Venezuelan bolivar exists primarily as the bolivar digital. Physical currency printing declined after 2019. One million bolivar notes entered circulation in 2021. The Central Bank removed six zeros from the currency in 2021, creating the bolivar digital from the bolivar soberano. Dollars function as the de facto currency in Caracas, Margarita Island, and Valencia. Euros circulate less widely. Colombian pesos work in border regions near Cúcuta. Credit cards issued outside Venezuela rarely process. Mastercard and Visa suspended services with Venezuelan banks in 2019. Some luxury hotels process international cards through third-country merchant systems at unfavorable rates adding 15 to 25 percent.
Transaction apps include Zelle for dollar transfers between local accounts and venezuelan banks. Reserve and Binance process cryptocurrency transactions. Bitcoin ATMs appeared in Caracas shopping centers in 2020. Venezuelan merchants accept cryptocurrency for vehicle purchases, property transactions, and some hotel bookings. Tether (USDT) trades more commonly than Bitcoin for daily transactions. Cash remains essential. Budget 150 to 300 dollars per day for independent travel including mid-range hotels, meals, and local transport. Fuel costs fluctuate between subsidized bolivar pricing and dollar pricing depending on station type and region. International fuel stations charge dollars at approximately 0.50 per liter as of 2022.
Movilnet, Movistar, and Digitel provide cellular service. Coverage reaches cities and major highways but fails in national parks and remote areas. International roaming functions irregularly. AT&T and T-Mobile roaming agreements lapsed after 2019 for most plans. Purchase local SIM cards at carrier stores in Caracas, requiring passport presentation. Prepaid data packages cost between 5 and 15 dollars monthly. 4G functions in Caracas, Valencia, and Maracaibo. 3G covers smaller cities. Internet cafes operate in city centers. Hotels advertise WiFi but service interruptions occur daily. Power outages lasting two to eight hours affect connectivity nationwide. The March 2019 blackout lasted five days across most of Venezuela. Backup power exists at major hotels and corporate buildings. Starlink entered testing in limited Caracas locations in 2023 without official government authorization.