Venezuela Driving Advice and Car Hire Info
Driving in Venezuela
You should check latest information on your government’s website before driving abroad in Venezuela, particularly if you plan to travel to the areas near the Brazil and Colombia borders, Canaima National Park and the Gran Sabana area of Bolívar State as there may be travel advisories in place for certain areas. The whole of Venezuela is currently experiencing shortages of many goods and social disorder is common. If planning to drive here you need to keep abreast of the situation in the area you intend to travel at all times.
Venezuela drives on the right and you can use the photo licence of any country to drive here,providing it’s written in Roman alphabet. Drivers from other countries should bring their own licence and an International Driving permit. You should carry copies of insurance documents, your driving licence and passport with you at all times. Failure to produce documents can result in your vehicle being seized by the police. Speed limits are 120kmh on highways, 80km on rural roads and 60kmh in urban areas.
Venezuela has a road network of 96,000km, a third of which is paved. The country has a well developed network of around 20 multi-lane motorways or Autopistas, mainly in the North and West of the country, most of which are short stretches of road under 50km in length. Longest multi-lane sections are –
Autopista José Antonio Páez. Valencia-San Carlos-Acarigua -Guanare – Barinas. 336 km
Autopista Zulia – Lara. Barquisimeto- Carora-Ciudad Ojeda – Cabimas – Maracaibo 293 km.
Autopista Regional del Centro Caracas-Charallave- Maracay -Guacara -Valenci. 160 km
Autopista Cimarrón Andresote – Barquisimeto – San Felipe – Morón. 125 km
Autopista Simón Bolívar-Ciudad Guayana – Ciudad Bolívar. 131 km.
Autopistas and other main roads are generally in good condition compared to many South American countries, though smaller roads may be in poor states of repair and most will be unlit so caution should be exercised if driving at night. Holes may appear in roads after bad weather and may be left unrepaired and marked only be a pile of rocks in the road which presents a hazard in itself.
The whole country suffers from fuel shortages so always fill up with petrol when you get chance and if embarking on a long journey, ensure you have enough fuel.There are regular police and National Guard checkpoints throughout the country. Drive slowly through these and stop if asked to do so. If approaching a check point at night, turn on the interior lights so the officers can clearly see you don’t represent a threat. There have been reports of unofficial ‘fines’ being levied at check points. If made to hand over cash you should ask for a written receipt.In the event of an accident you shouldn’t move the vehicle until a police officer arrives.
In rural areas, trucks carrying produce have been ambushed by looters so trucks now often travel in convoy. Aside from the risk of being caught up in a civil disturbance, getting caught behind a convoy on a single lane road will considerably add to your journey time.
Caracas suffers from traffic congestion and robberies of drivers stuck in jams by armed motor cyclists have been reported. The city can be confusing to drive in, even with a satnav, so if you need to drive into or out of the city it may be worth asking the rental company if they will drive you to/from the outskirts. Driving standards are often poor with many drivers ignoring road rules. There is also a high incidence of drink driving especially at weekends and at holiday times, so you should always drive cautiously and expect the unexpected from other road users.
Although I try and keep the information in the site updated as much as possible, in a rapidly moving world, situations can change daily. Therefore please use the site as an approximate guide, and in conjunction with other resources in order to form your view on driving conditions, roads, safety etc.
Venezuela Car Rental –
Hertz, Europcar,Avis, Budget,have branches in Caracas and main towns in Venzuela
We currently have no local car rental partners in Venezuela. If you are a local car rental company who would like to feature on DriverAbroad.com please check details on our Partnering page or contact us on ADriverAbroad@Outlook.com
