Transport in Lima
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Public transport in Lima consists of buses, minibuses (known as micros), taxis, and mototaxis. Micros are the most common means of public transportation in Lima and many other cities in Peru. There are also more than 100 kilometres (62 mi) of cycle paths in the city.
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The word micro is commonly used in Peruvian Spanish as an abbreviation for microbús (minibus). While bigger vehicles are known as micros, smaller vehicles are known as either combis or micros. These are privately owned vehicles that are considered to be both economical and convenient, but also risky. [citation needed]
Micros drive from one street corner to another along all the major arterial city roads. Stickers saying, for example, "Todo Angamos" or "Todo Benavides", can be seen on their windscreens, which indicates that the micro runs the whole length of Avenida Angamos or Avenida Alfredo Benavides. These microbuses travel dangerously fast, frequently crashing and speeding off before their passengers have safely entered the vehicle. [citation needed] As there are few bus stops, passengers are picked up and dropped off anywhere along their route by the micros and combis, despite this being prohibited. [citation needed] Tickets became compulsory in the late 1980s. As no transfer tickets are issued, double fares are often used by people when a micro does not travel to their desired destination, although as the routes are not controlled, many micros will travel to most destinations within the city limits. [citation needed] The only places where micros are no longer allowed to circulate is in the crosstown streets within downtown Lima, which means anyone travelling from the west to east must walk or take a taxi, with micros travelling north to south only through either the west or east sides' main arteries, Tacna Avenue and Abancay Avenue, respectively.
The new Metropolitano bus rapid transit system and the first line of the Lima Metro have attempted to modernise transport in Lima.