Editing Transport in Venezuela

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{{original research|date=January 2021}}
{{update|date=June 2019}}
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'''Transport in Venezuela''' revolves around a system of highways and airports. [[Venezuela]] is connected to the world primarily via air ([[List of airports in Venezuela|Venezuela's airports]] include the [[Simón Bolívar International Airport (Venezuela)|Simón Bolívar International Airport]] near Caracas and [[La Chinita International Airport]] near [[Maracaibo]]) and sea (with major seaports at [[La Guaira]], Maracaibo and [[Puerto Cabello]]). In the south and east the Amazon rainforest region has limited cross-border transport; in the west, there is a mountainous border of over {{convert|1375|mi}} shared with [[Colombia]]. The [[Orinoco]] River is navigable by oceangoing vessels up to 400&nbsp;km inland, and connects the major industrial city of [[Ciudad Guayana]] to the Atlantic Ocean.

Venezuela has a limited [[Instituto de Ferrocarriles del Estado|national railway system]], which has no active rail connections to other countries. Several major cities have metro systems; the [[Caracas Metro]] has been operating since 1983. The [[Maracaibo Metro]] and [[Valencia Metro (Venezuela)|Valencia Metro]] were opened more recently. Venezuela has a road network of around 100,000&nbsp;km (placing it [[List of countries by road network size|around 47th in the world]]); around a third of roads are paved.

As of 2019, about 80% of public transportation is not operational within the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lapatilla.com/2019/06/13/el-80-del-transporte-publico-terrestre-en-venezuela-esta-paralizado/|title=El 80% del transporte público terrestre en Venezuela está paralizado|date=2019-06-13|website=[[La Patilla]]|language=es-ES|access-date=2019-06-14}}</ref>

==Railways==
[[File:Venezuela railway map.jpg|thumb|Map based on IFE maps<ref>http://www.ife.gob.ve/Sistema_ferroviario/#lineaope</ref> of lines operating (purple), lines being restored (blue) and lines under construction (green) as at 2017]]
{{main|Instituto de Ferrocarriles del Estado}}
<br />''total:''
7000&nbsp;km (?) <!-- Some one please verify --> (248&nbsp;km privately owned, including [[Orinoco Mining Company]])
<br />''[[standard gauge]]:''
682&nbsp;km (40&nbsp;km electrified) {{RailGauge|sg}} (<ref>[http://www.indexmundi.com/venezuela/railways.html Index Mundi: Venezuela Railways]</ref>)

===Cities with underground railway systems===
* [[Caracas Metro|Caracas]] (El Metro de Caracas, operated by C.A. Metro de Caracas<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20000510052101/http://www.metrodecaracas.com.ve/ C.A. Metro de Caracas]</ref>)
* [[Los Teques Metro]] - opened in 2006.
* [[Maracaibo Metro]] - opened in 2006.
* [[Valencia Metro (Venezuela)]] - opened in 2006.

===See also===
* [[East-West Railway, Venezuela]]

===Railway links with adjoining countries===

* {{flagicon|Guyana}} [[Transport in Guyana|Guyana]] - no
* {{flagicon|Brazil}} [[Transport in Brazil|Brazil]] - no
** [[Rail transport in Brazil|Brazil]]
* {{flagicon|Colombia}} [[Transport in Colombia|Colombia]] - yes, but inoperative ([[Railroad of Cúcuta]]) - proposed rebuilding
** [[Rail transport in Colombia|Colombia]]

===Maps===
* [[Encarta]]<ref>[http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761560608_6/venezuela.html Encarta] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080602024413/http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761560608_6/Venezuela.html |date=2008-06-02 }}</ref>

===Standards===

* Gauge: {{RailGauge|1435mm}}
* Coupling: [[Coupling (railroad)#AAR coupler|AAR]]
* Brakes: [[Railway air brake|Air]]
* Electrification: [[25 kV AC railway electrification#60 Hz|25 kV AC 60 Hz]]

===Stations===
{{Main|Railway stations in Venezuela}}

===Timeline===

====2006====

* Venezuela awards contracts worth $2.2 billion to build two new railway lines.  Construction on the two new lines connecting [[San Juan de los Morros]] to [[San Fernando de Apure]] and connecting [[Chaguaramas, Venezuela|Chaguaramas]] to [[Cabruta]] is expected to begin in Q2 2006 and is expected to take six years to complete. [[April 2006 in rail transport]].
* In October 2006, Venezuela opened a new [[Caracas]]-[[Cúa]] railway, the first new railway in the country for 70 years<ref>VENEZUELA: A Bolivarian railway, by Coral Wynter & Jim McIlroy, Caracas [http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2006/688/688p24b.htm (link)] {{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}</ref>
* "Towards the end of this month, we would have final discussions with [[Mittal Steel Company|Mittal Steel]]," said Mr Kapur, adding that the initial discussions took place in March.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}}  Moreover, [[Ircon]] is also likely to construct a new rail line in Venezuela at an estimated cost of $350 million.

====2008====

* On [[August 2008 in rail transport|August 23, 2008]], a deal was signed between [[Transport in Argentina|Argentina]] ([[Rail transport in Argentina|Argentina]]), [[Transport in Brazil|Brazil]] ([[Rail transport in Brazil|Brazil]]) and Venezuela to develop an electrified railway link between these countries.  A minor hurdle is the use of [[Utility frequency|utility frequencies]] of both 50 Hz and 60 Hz.
* July 5 - meeting between Venezuela, [[Transport in Colombia|Colombia]] ([[Rail transport in Colombia|Colombia]]) and [[Transport in Ecuador|Ecuador]] ([[Rail transport in Ecuador|Ecuador]]) regarding a railway for freight and passengers to link the three countries, and linking the Pacific with the Atlantic also.

==== 2009 ====

* March 2009 - China to help build new network <ref>{{cite web|url=http://railwaysafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3982&Itemid=36 |title=The Opportunity To Revitalise The Rail Sector |publisher=Railwaysafrica.com |date= |accessdate=2022-09-07}}</ref>

==Highways==

Automobile transport is encouraged by the fact that Venezuela has the lowest petrol prices in the world, at $0.18 per gallon ($0.05 per liter).<ref name="csmonitor1">{{cite journal| url = http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2011/0913/World-s-cheapest-gas-Top-5-countries/Venezuela-0.18-per-gallon-0.047-per-liter| title = Venezuela- $0.18 per gallon ($0.05 per liter) - CSMonitor.com| journal = [[The Christian Science Monitor]]| date = 13 September 2011}}</ref>  In some cases, petrol is less expensive than [[bottled water]].<ref name="csmonitor1"/>

<br />''total:''
96,155&nbsp;km
<br />''paved:''
32,308&nbsp;km
<br />''unpaved:''
63,847&nbsp;km (1997 est.)

===Motorways===
Venezuela has a fairly developed [[motorway]] network, certainly more developed than in most of South American nations. It is especially operative in the Northern and Western parts of the country, connecting the main cities of the country. The following roads feature at least 4 lanes and double carriageway:

*Autopista Barquisimeto - Acarigua. It runs from [[Barquisimeto]] through [[Cabudare]] to [[Acarigua]]. Its length is 70&nbsp;km.
*Autopista Caracas - La Guaira. It runs from [[Caracas]] to the [[Maiquetía International Airport]] and [[La Guaira]]. It extends for 30&nbsp;km.
*Autopista Cimarrón Andresote. It runs from [[Barquisimeto]] through [[San Felipe, Venezuela|San Felipe]] and [[Morón]]. Its length is 125&nbsp;km.
*Autopista Circunvalación del Este. It runs from [[Valencia, Venezuela|Valencia]] to [[Naguanagua]]. Its length is 13&nbsp;km.
*Autopista Circunvalación Norte. It serves as a bypass for [[Barquisimeto]]. Its length is 30&nbsp;km.
*Autopista Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho. Projected to run from [[Caracas]] to [[Güiria]], it is a motorway currently under construction, though parts of it are already in use, including [[Caracas]] - Río Chico (98&nbsp;km.), [[Caucagua]] - [[Higuerote]] (20&nbsp;km.), Boca de Uchire - [[Clarines]] (43&nbsp;km.), [[Píritu Municipality, Anzoátegui|Píritu]] - [[Puerto La Cruz]] (66&nbsp;km.) and Santa Fe - [[Cumaná]] (52&nbsp;km).
*Autopista José Antonio Páez. It runs from [[Valencia, Venezuela|Valencia]] to [[Barinas, Venezuela|Barinas]]. It also connects the cities of [[San Carlos, Cojedes|San Carlos]], [[Acarigua]] and [[Guanare]]. It has a length of 336&nbsp;km.
*Autopista Manuel Piar. It connects [[Ciudad Guayana]] and [[Upata]]. It stretches for 62&nbsp;km.
*[[Autopista Regional del Centro]]. It is one of the most important motorways of the country, running between Venezuela's first and third biggest population centres: [[Caracas]] and [[Valencia, Venezuela|Valencia]]. It also connects [[Charallave]], [[Maracay]] and [[Guacara]]. Its length is 160&nbsp;km.
*Autopista San Cristóbal - La Fría. It is a motorway currently under construction, projected to link [[San Cristóbal, Venezuela|San Cristóbal]] and [[La Fría]]. Some parts of the motorway are already open, such as [[San Cristóbal, Venezuela|San Cristóbal]] - Palmira (18&nbsp;km), [[Lobatera]] - [[San Juan de Colón]] (16&nbsp;km) and San Félix - [[La Fría]] (19&nbsp;km).
*Autopista Simón Bolívar. It links [[Ciudad Guayana]] and [[Puerto Ordaz]] with [[Ciudad Bolívar]]. It has a length of 131&nbsp;km.
*Autopista Valencia - Puerto Cabello. It extends from [[Guacara]], to [[Puerto Cabello]] in the Caribbean coast. It has a length of 60&nbsp;km.
*Autopista Valera - Trujillo. It connects the city of [[Valera]] with [[Trujillo, Trujillo|Trujillo]]. It extends for 34&nbsp;km.
*Autopista Zulia - Lara. It extends from [[Barquisimeto]] to [[Maracaibo]], two of the main population centres of Venezuela. It also links [[Carora]], [[Ciudad Ojeda]] and [[Cabimas]]. It has a length of 293&nbsp;km.
*Avenida Juan Bautista Arismendi. It connects [[Porlamar]] and [[Punta de Piedras, Nueva Esparta|Punta de Piedras]]. It has a length of 36&nbsp;km.
*Carretera Rafael Caldera. It is a two lane expressway that links [[Mérida, Mérida|Mérida]] with [[El Vigía]]. It has a length of 60&nbsp;km.
*Intercomunal Coro - Punto Fijo. It connects [[Santa Ana de Coro|Coro]] and [[Punto Fijo]]. It extends for 79&nbsp;km.

==Waterways==
7,100&nbsp;km; [[Orinoco|Rio Orinoco]] (400&nbsp;km) and [[Lake Maracaibo|Lago de Maracaibo]] accept [[Ship|oceangoing vessels]]

==Pipelines==
* extra heavy crude 980&nbsp;km
* [[crude oil]] 6,694&nbsp;km
* refined products 1,620&nbsp;km
* [[natural gas]] 5,347&nbsp;km (2010)

==Ports and harbors==
{|
|- valign=top
|
* [[Amuay]]
* [[Bajo Grande]]
* [[El Tablazo]]
* [[La Guaira]]
* [[La Salina, Venezuela|La Salina]]
* [[Maracaibo]]
* [[Matanzas, Venezuela|Matanzas]]
| width=40 |
|
* [[Palua]]
* [[Puerto Cabello]]
* [[Puerto la Cruz]]
* [[Puerto Miranda]]
* [[Puerto Ordaz]]
* [[Puerto Sucre]]
* [[Punta Cardon]]
|}

==Air travel==
{{main|List of airlines of Venezuela}}

In 2012, Venezuela had 492 airports.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}}

In 2014, due to difficulty converting bolivars to other currencies, many international airline either cut back or entirely cancelled service to the country.  A shortage of seats caused international ticket prices to rise; one report found airfare to Miami more than double the fare to Miami from Bogota in Colombia.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160305171134/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-venezuela-flights-idUKKBN0HB0BV20140916 Reuters]</ref>

===Airports - with paved runways===
[[Image:Maiquetiaairport.jpg|thumb|[[Simón Bolívar International Airport (Venezuela)|Simón Bolívar International Airport]]]]
<br />''total:''
128
<br />''over3,047 m:''
6
<br />''2,438 to 3,047 m:''
9
<br />''1,524 to 2,437 m:''
35
<br />''914 to 1,523 m:''
61
<br />''under 914 m:''
17 (2012)

===Airports - with unpaved runways===
<br />''total:''
364
<br />''2,438 to 3,047 m:''
3
<br />''1,524 to 2,437 m:''
55
<br />''914 to 1,523 m:''
113
<br />''under 914 m:''
193 (2012)

===Heliports===
3 (2012)

==Cable car==
Venezuela has had in times the world's highest [[aerial tramway|cable car]] in operation. The [[Mérida cable car]] opened in 1960, connecting [[Mérida, Mérida|Mérida]] with the top of the [[Sierra Nevada de Mérida]]. It was closed indefinitely in 2008, having reached the end of its service life. After an extensive renovation and the renewal of its fleet, operations resumed in 2016.

==See also==
* [[Perrera]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140721032512/http://www.cartografareilpresente.org/article709.html Map of transport infrastructures of Venezuela]

{{commons category}}
{{Americas topic|Transport in}}
{{Venezuela topics}}

[[Category:Transport in Venezuela| ]]