AirOrSeaTravel is an independent guide. Bookings on this page are completed on the provider’s own website. How we are funded.

AirOrSeaTravel — find your way there
Mérida · Venezuela

Car hire and driving in Mérida

Driving distances to the cities around, the rules that change at the border, and where to compare rental prices.

OverviewFlightsHotelsTrainsBusesCar rentalTours

In Venezuela traffic drives on the right. Picking up at VIG means 56 km (35 mi) into the centre before the trip starts. The emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648920 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q533806.

Drives from Mérida

Car rental from Mérida: distances and estimated journey times
RouteCountryDistanceEstimated time
Mérida to El VigíaVenezuela54 km (33 mi)about 49 min
Mérida to San Carlos del ZuliaVenezuela96 km (59 mi)about 1 h 27 min
Mérida to ValeraVenezuela103 km (64 mi)about 1 h 34 min
Mérida to BarinasVenezuela103 km (64 mi)about 1 h 34 min
Mérida to Alto BarinasVenezuela104 km (64 mi)about 1 h 35 min
Mérida to TáribaVenezuela143 km (89 mi)about 2 h 11 min
Mérida to San CristóbalVenezuela148 km (92 mi)about 2 h 16 min
Mérida to CúcutaColombia165 km (102 mi)about 2 h 31 min
Mérida to GuanareVenezuela166 km (103 mi)about 2 h 32 min
Mérida to Ciudad OjedaVenezuela181 km (113 mi)about 2 h 46 min
Mérida to CabimasVenezuela205 km (127 mi)about 3 h 7 min
Mérida to CaroraVenezuela214 km (133 mi)about 3 h 16 min
Mérida to BogotáColombia546 km (339 mi)about 8 h 20 min
Mérida to CaracasVenezuela516 km (321 mi)about 7 h 52 min
Mérida to QuitoEcuador1,274 km (792 mi)about 19 h 26 min
Mérida to GuayaquilEcuador1,539 km (956 mi)about 23 h 28 min
Mérida to CaliColombia823 km (511 mi)about 12 h 33 min
Mérida to ManausBrazil1,793 km (1,114 mi)about 27 h 20 min
Mérida to MedellínColombia550 km (342 mi)about 8 h 24 min
Mérida to MaracaiboVenezuela234 km (146 mi)about 3 h 35 min

Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.

Where to compare car hire

ExpediaCar hire from the major suppliers, and the one to look at if the flight or hotel is already booked there. Part of Expedia Group.Check car hire on Expedia (opens www.expedia.com in a new tab)
DiscoverCarsCompares local and international suppliers. Read the counter reviews before you pick.Check rental cars on DiscoverCars (opens www.discovercars.com in a new tab)
Rentalcars.comBooking.com's car arm, with wide airport coverage worldwide.Compare suppliers on Rentalcars.com (opens www.rentalcars.com in a new tab)
Every link above leaves this site.

We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.

Common questions

Which side of the road do they drive on in Mérida?

The right, as everywhere in Venezuela.

How are the journey times on this page worked out?

From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.

Where these facts come from

  • GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
  • Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
  • OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
  • Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines

Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.