Although using my god-given (and divinely shaped) lower extremities quite a lot I use combis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_in_Lima) to cover longer distances. They are cheap but not necessarily nice or comfortable, but have the big advantage that you get to see a variety of Lima`s demography. The trip to the University is about an hour from my hostel and for about 2,50 soles worth it. If I am lucky I get a seat, but when not I have to stand in the aisle - not really nice since my altitude outranges that of the ceiling. Even when sitting it is an adventure, because there are many combis and they all compete in collecting passengers. The driver makes the most undesirable manouvers to stay ahead of everybody else, while the conductor leans outside the door shouting the names of the stops in such a fast way that I can't understand them. Fortunately, the combis have the names of their major stations written on the side. At some stops, there is extra staff telling the driver how many minutes they are ahead of the other combis of the same line, and apparently they are not allowed to catch up too much so as not to be competitors for their own line, but they still want to be faster than everyone else. When you want to get off you scream "Paradero baja!" which means that you have exactly one second to spring out of the bus at the next stop before it's off again. Puhh. I am always happy to have survived another one, especially since of course all windows are open and you are exposed to the exhaust from all the other combis. At least once during one of those rides special persons enter the vehicle trying to sell you sweets, or showing off their injuries, or play the flute or are employing similar strategies to get your money. One guy even tried to sell cookbooks! They do this at the top of their lungs, praising the advantages for your health and family of whatever product they want to sell. Want to get to know Lima? Get into a combi.