Chauffeur service across Latin America & the Caribbean

BlaakLane.com serves 55 cities across Latin America & the Caribbean.

How the region moves

Latin America and the Caribbean split into two very different kinds of trip. On the mainland, the work is big-city business travel: Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Bogota, Lima, Santiago and Buenos Aires are dense, traffic-heavy capitals where a planned car saves real time. In the islands and on the Mexican Caribbean coast, the work is resort travel: a single run from the airport to a villa or hotel, often with more luggage than passengers, and a return a week later.

Gateway airports

• Mexico City AICM: about 30-60 minutes to Polanco or Reforma, longer at peak; private flights often use Toluca.
• Sao Paulo Guarulhos: often 45-90 minutes to Faria Lima and Itaim Bibi; Congonhas is much closer for domestic flights.
• Bogota El Dorado: usually 30-60 minutes to the north of the city.
• Panama Tocumen: the main connecting hub between North and South America.
• Cancun: the gateway for Playa del Carmen, about 45-60 minutes away, and Tulum, usually 90 minutes to two hours.

Local driving rules worth knowing

Several capitals restrict cars by licence-plate number on certain days or hours: Mexico City's Hoy No Circula programme, Sao Paulo's rodizio in the expanded centre and Bogota's pico y placa are the best known. They are facts about the city, and they are one reason a local operator who knows the rules matters. Many Caribbean islands, including the Bahamas, Jamaica, Barbados, the Cayman Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands, drive on the left.

Cross-border and long-distance runs

The classic cross-border drive is from Santiago over the Andes to Mendoza via the Cristo Redentor crossing, which can close in winter snow. From Buenos Aires, most travellers reach Montevideo and Punta del Este by ferry across the River Plate, then continue by car. Valparaiso is usually about 90 minutes from Santiago by road.

Seasons and events

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, with the peak usually from August to October; the National Hurricane Center publishes forecasts. Rio's Carnival is usually in February or early March, the Mexico City Grand Prix usually in late October or November and the Sao Paulo Grand Prix usually in November. December to April is peak season in most Caribbean resorts.

Which vehicle to choose

Resort arrivals usually need luggage space more than seats, so a Standard Black SUV (6 passengers, 6 bags) or a Sprinter Van suits families. Executives in the capitals usually book a Luxury Executive Sedan or an Executive Black SUV; where a risk assessment calls for it, secure transportation with armoured vehicles is available on request through vetted partners and confirmed in writing. See the Mexico, Brazil and Colombia country pages for every city.