San Cristóbal: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
San Cristóbal is a city of 289,852 people in Venezuela (Táchira), 692 m (2,270 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Juan Vicente Gómez International Airport (SVZ), 24 km (15 mi) from the centre.
Key facts
Open San Cristóbal in Google Maps
Daylight in San Cristóbal runs from about 11 h 43 min a day in late December to 12 h 37 min in late June (computed for 7.77° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
San Cristóbal is served by 3 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Juan Vicente Gómez International Airport (SVZ), 24 km (15 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 6,135 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft. The alternatives are Mayor Buenaventura Vivas International Airport (STD, 31 km), Camilo Daza International Airport (CUC, 35 km).
Flights to San Cristóbal: every airport, routes and times
Buses to San Cristóbal · Driving and car hire
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Maracaibo, 327 km — flights · buses · car rental
- Cúcuta, 34 km (Colombia) — buses · car rental · tours
- Bucaramanga, 121 km (Colombia) — buses · car rental · tours
- Valledupar, 320 km (Colombia)
- Barinas, 240 km — tours
- Bello, 400 km (Colombia)
- Cabimas, 305 km
- Mérida, 148 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Alto Barinas, 240 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Sincelejo, 387 km (Colombia)
Twin towns and sister cities: La Ceiba.
Common questions
Which airport serves San Cristóbal?
Juan Vicente Gómez International Airport (SVZ), 24 km (15 mi) from the centre, plus 2 other airports with scheduled flights within 100 km.
How big is San Cristóbal?
About 289,852 people live in San Cristóbal, across 247 km² (GeoNames and Wikidata).
What time zone is San Cristóbal in?
America/Caracas, currently UTC-4.
What currency is used in San Cristóbal?
The Bolivar Soberano (VES). Traffic drives on the right.
Which cities are near San Cristóbal?
Maracaibo (327 km), Cúcuta (34 km), Bucaramanga (121 km), Valledupar (320 km), Barinas (240 km).
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.