American Express 55 Av Sur, Edificio Credomatic, between Alameda Roosevelt and Av OlA­mpica (tel 245 3774); Centro Comercial la Mascota 1, Carretera Interamericana at C la Mascota (tel 279 3844, fax 223 0035) - take bus #101B (to Santa Tecla), which passes the building.

Banks and exchange Most banks ask for the original receipt when cashing travellers' cheques; an exception is Banco Hipotecario, at Av CuscatlA?n between 4a and 6a C Ote and other branches around the city. If you need colones, all banks will cash dollars, including Banco CuscatlA?n, Banco SalvadoreA±o, Banco AgrA­cola and Banco de Comercio (Ban Co). You can get over-the-counter cash advances on Visa and Mastercard at most branches of Banco de Comercio and Banco SalvadoreA±o; a few also have ATMs.

Bookstores The bookshop in the Metrocentro mall has a selection of English-language books and some US magazines. Punto Literario, Blvd del HipA?dromo 326, has English, French, German and Spanish literature. Centro Cultural La Mazorca, C Antonio Abad 1447, Col El Roble, has a small range of Central American literature and political texts (Spanish only) and a small craft shop, while La Ventana restaurant has a small selection of political and social texts (in English and Spanish) and US magazines and newspapers.

Car rental Renting a car is a good way to get to the more inaccessible parts of the country; expect to pay around US$45 a day for a small car and up to US$120 a day for a Space Wagon or Jeep. Check that the price includes insurance and that emergency assistance is available. Companies include: Avis, 43a Av Sur 147, Col Flor Blanca (tel 260 7157, fax 260 7165), and at the airport (tel 339 9268); Budget, Condominio Balam Quitze, Paseo EscalA?n (tel 263 7174, fax 263 7166); Hertz, at C Los Andes, Block J-16, Col Miramonte (tel 260 1728, fax 260 1101), and at the airport (tel 339 9481); Tropic, Av OlA­mpica 3597, Col EscalA?n (tel 279 3236, fax 279 3235, tropic@es.com.sv ); Uno Rent-a-Car, Edificio Sunset Plaza, Av Jerusalen and C la Mascota, Col Maquilishuat (tel 263 9366, fax 263 9371).

Embassies Most embassies are located in or around the Paseo EscalA?n and Zona Rosa districts - except for the US embassy which is on the road to Santa Elena (take bus #44). Argentina, 79a Av Nte and 11a C Pte 704, Col EscalA?n (tel 263 3674, fax 263 3687; Mon-Fri 8am-noon); Belize, Condominio Medico B, Local 5, 2nd Floor, Blvd Tutunichapan, Urb La Esperanza (tel 226 3682, fax 225 3540; Mon-Fri 8am-noon & 1-5pm, Sat 8am-2pm); Canada, C las Palmas 111, Col San Benito (tel 279 4659, fax 279 0765; Mon-Fri 8am-noon); Costa Rica, Av Albert Einstein 11-A, Col Lomas de San Francisco (tel 273 3111, fax 273 1455; Mon-Fri 9am-noon & 1-3pm); Guatemala, 15a Av Nte 135, Col Bloom (tel 222 2903, fax 221 3019; Mon-Fri 8am-1.30pm); Honduras, 3a C Pte 3697, between 69a and 71a Av Nte, Col EscalA?n (tel 223 4975, fax 223 2221; Mon-Fri 8am-1pm); Mexico, C CircunvalaciA?n at Pasaje No 12, Col San Benito (tel 243 2037, fax 243 0437; Mon-Fri 8.30am-5pm); Nicaragua, 71a Av Nte 164 at 1a C Pte, Col EscalA?n (tel 223 1223, fax 223 7201; Mon-Fri 8am-12.30pm & 2-4pm); PanamA?, Edificio Copa, Alameda Roosevelt 2838 at 55a Av Nte (tel 260 5453; Mon-Fri 8.45am-1pm); UK, Paseo EscalA?n 4828, Col EscalA?n (tel 263 6527, fax 263 6516; Mon-Thurs 8am-1pm & 2-4.30pm, Fri 8am-1pm); US, Blvd Santa Elena, Antiguo CuscatlA?n (tel 278 1188, fax 278 6011; Mon-Fri 8.30am-4.30pm).

Immigration office Ministerio del Interior, Centro de Gobierno, Alameda Juan Pablo II (tel 221 2111; Mon-Fri 8am-4pm) is the place to get stamps, tourist cards and visas extended.

Internet access New Internet outlets are opening all the time, though at present they are mainly located around student areas and in the large shopping malls. Access costs about US$4 per hour. CafA© Ciber LA?gica, Centro Comercial Las AmA©ricas Local 15, Calle Arce between 19a and 21a Av Sur (there are a number of other Internet outlets in the same mini-mall); Cyber CafA©, level 2, Metrocentro shopping mall; Cyber CafA© GalerA­as, Paseo General EscalA?n (3 blocks north of Plaza Beethoven; take bus #52), level 3, GalerA­as mall; Galaxy Bowling, Plaza Beethoven; Cyber CafA© El Salvador, Av Rio Lempa 18, Jardines de Guadalupe; CafA© Internet Merliot, Centro Comercial Plaza Merliot; Telecom office, Plaza de las AmA©ricas; CafA© Internet Trazo, Av Don Bosco, C los Cedros 103 (by the west gate of the National University); Bar CafA© Internet, Av Pasco at C Aconcagua 11, Col Miramonte (behind the Camino Real hotel).

Laundry Try LavanderA­a Lavapronto, C los Sismiles 2944, near the Camino Real hotel (Mon-Sat 7am-7pm), or the nearby Lavapronto, C los Sismiles 2926. An average load should cost US$2-3. Most hotels either provide a laundry service - though at a slightly higher price than the local lavanderA­as - or let you wash clothes in the laundry sink.

Libraries and cultural institutes La UCA has a very good library, while the Centro Cultural SalvadoreA±o (Mon-Fri 8am-noon & 2-5pm), opposite the Metrocentro on C los Sisimiles, has an ageing collection of Salvadorean and English-language works. The Biblioteca Nacional is open to the public, but you have to show ID (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm).

Medical care There's a 24-hour pharmacy at Farmacia Internacional, Edificio Kent, Local 6, Av Juan Pablo II at Blvd de los HA©roes. Embassies have lists of recommended doctors in various fields, and the Medicentro at 27a Av Nte and 21a C Pte has a number of doctors specializing in different fields. Hospital Rosales, 25a Av Nte at C Arce (tel 222 5866) provides emergency medical care.

Police The main station is in the unmissable Scottish castle-like building which occupies an entire block on 10a Av Sur at 6a C Ote (tel 271 4422).

Post office Behind the Centro de Gobierno on Blvd Centro de Gobierno; look for the large building with UPAE on the side. The lista de correos (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, Sat 8am-noon) is at window 12 in the main section. There are smaller offices in the lower level of the Metrocentro mall and by the Europa supermarket on Plaza Beethoven.

Telephone office Telecom, the French-owned former state phone company, has an enormous glass office at La Campana, Plaza de las AmA©ricas (take any bus heading for El Salvador del Mundo and get off by the monument).

Travel agents Plenty along the Alameda Roosevelt/Paseo EscalA?n for booking or changing flights.