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Getting
There
By Air
Getting to Puerto Rico almost always means flying
to Luis Muñoz Marín (LMM) International
Airport. The gleaming white terminal located just
outside of San Juan is ranked 34th among passenger
airports in the United States.
Most U.S. and many international airlines offer
direct flights to Puerto Rico, and making connecting
flights is easy. LMM is one of the largest airports
in the Caribbean and is a popular place for hopping
over to the U.S. Virgin Islands and other Caribbean
destinations.
Transferring from the airport to your hotel usually
requires taking a taxi, although some hotels provide
complimentary transportation to their properties
in special buses. Puerto Rico Tourism Company representatives
at the airport will assist you in finding the right
transportation. Major car rental agencies are located
at the airport, and others offer free transportation
to their off-airport sites.
Although there is no regular passenger service to
Puerto Rico by sea, more than a million passengers
visit the island on cruise ships every year, whether
on one of the many cruise lines whose homeport is
San Juan, or on one of the visiting lines.
From North America
2 ½ hours from Miami
3 ¼ hours from Atlanta
3 ¼ hours from New York
3 ½ hours from Washington, DC
4 ¼ hours from Toronto
4 ½ hours from Chicago and Dallas
7 ½ hours from Los Angeles
From Latin America
2 ½ hours from Caracas
5 ¾ hours from Mexico City
11 hours from Sao Paolo
From Europe
7 ¾ hours from Madrid
10 hours from Paris
10 ¼ hours from Brussels
12 hours from London
Getting
To Culebra
The easiest way to reach Culebra is via San Juan.
San Juan International Airport is served from the
U.S. Mainland by American Airlines, Delta, TWA,
USAir, Carnival, Continental, Northwest, PanAm,
and United. Culebra has daily flights arriving from
the San Juan International Airport on Isla Nena
Air Services (787-741-1577), and from San Juan Isla
Grande Airport on Vieques Air Link (787-722-3736).
A 1 1/2 hour ferry ride is also available from Fajardo,
a sea port on the east shore of Puerto Rico, about
1 1/2 hour drive from San Juan.
Puerto Rico Ports Authority
Phone Numbers --- Culebra (787) 742-3161
Fajardo (787) 863-0705, (787) 863-0852
Voyage to Culebra is about 1 1/2 hours. The cargo
ferry also takes passengers. Passengers do not need
reservations. However, reservations are required
for cars, and car should be at the ferry dock at
least one hour before departure. Schedules are subject
to change and should be verified ahead of time.
Passenger fare: only $2.25 per person. For vehicle
and cargo fares, call the Ports Authority.
Customs and Documents Required
The passport and visa requirements for entering
Puerto Rico are the same as for entering the USA.
Non US and Canadian citizens must have a valid passport,
but it's best to consult your travel agent before
book your tickets. However, citizens of many Western
European countries, Australia, New Zealand and Japan
can take advantage of a US reciprocal visa waiver
program if they intend to stay less than 90 days.
Visitors over the age of 21 may bring the following
items into the United States duty-free: 200 cigarettes
or 50 cigars (but not cigars from Cuba) or 4½
pounds of tobacco, 1 quart of spirits or wine, and
gifts or articles up to a value of US$100. Narcotics
and dangerous drugs are prohibited; fresh meat,
fruit, vegetables, and plants are either prohibited
or restricted.
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