American Express Lima Tours, Avenida Machu Picchu D-6, Urbina. Manuel Prado (tel 228431 or 235241).

Banks and exchange Banco de la Nacion, corner of Avenida Sol and Almagro; Banco de Creditio, Avenida Sol 189; Banco Continental, Avenida Sol 366, change cash and most traveller's cheques; Banco del Sur, Avenida Sol 457, has an external 24hr ATM accepting Visa and Mastercard; Banco Wiese, JirA?n Maruri 315-341. There's Mastercard machine outside the El Dorado Inn. For faster service and better rates than banks, try Cambio Cusco, Portal Comercio 177, Oficina B (tel 238861; daily 9am-10pm) one of the better and more central money changing offices; Casa de Cambio, Oficina 1, Avenida Sol 345, is also good. Lastly, street cambistas can be found on blocks 2 and 3 of Avenida Sol, around the main banks.

Bus companies Inter-regional and international buses depart from Terminal Terrestre, except for those run by Cruz del Sur, who leave from Avenida Pachacutec. There is an embarkation tax of $0.3, which you pay before alighting. Recommended operators include: CIVA for Puno and Arequipa; El Chasqui (tel 252994) for Arequipa, Tacna and Lima; Cruz del Sur (tel 221909 or 233383) for Arequipa and Desaguadero; Expresso Wari (tel 261703) for Lima via Abancay and Nazca; Libertad (tel 247174) for Juliaca, Puno and Copacabana/La Paz; OrmeA±o (tel 233469) for Espinar, Tintaya, Arequipa, Lima, Copacabana and La Paz; Power (tel 246515) for Juliaca and Puno; San Jeronimo (tel 261142) for Andahuaylas and Ayacucho; Tours Wari (tel 229717) for Puno, Abancay, Nazca and Lima; Trans International Litoral for La Paz; Trans Turismo Colca, for Sicuani and Arequipa; Transportes Pardo for Arequipa and Lima; Tranzela (tel 238223) for Puno, Copacabana and La Paz; Turismo Abancay for Abancay; Turismo Ampay (tel 227541) for Abancay and Quillabamba; and UrkupiA±a (tel 229962) for Juliaca and Puno.

Cinemas Amauta, Avenida de la Cultura 764 (tel 226431); Garcilaso, Union 117 (tel 232461); Ollanta, Meloc 417 (tel 224052); and Vicoria, Huayruropata 931 (tel 233271).

Consulates Bolivia, Avenida Pardo, Pasaje Espinar (tel 231412); UK, Avenida Pardo 895 (tel 239974); for the USA contact the Instituto de Cultura Peruana Norte Americana, Avenida Tullumayo 125 (tel 224112, 222183 or 233541).

Courier services DHL, Avenida Sol 393 (tel 244167).

Cultural centre The Alliance FranA§aise, Avenida de la Cultura 804 (tel 223755), runs a full programme of events including music, films, exhibitions, theatre and music; phone for details.

Customs office Calle Teatro 344 (tel 228181).

Dentists Dr Virginia Valcarcel Velarde, upstairs at Portal de Panes 123, Plaza de Armas (tel 231558); and Dr Pintur, Centro Comercial Santa Cecilia, by the Sandy Color Fotografia, Avenida Sol (tel 233721 or 651211).

Diners Club Avenida Sol 615 (tel 234051 & 236890).

Doctors Dr Oscar Tejada (tel 233836, 24hr) is a member of International Assistance for Medical Assistance to Travellers; Dr Dante Valdivia (tel 231390, 620588 or 252166), speaks English and German; and Dr Maria Helena (tel 650122 or 227385) will visit.

Hospitals and clinics Hospital Regional, Avenida de la Cultura (tel 231131); Clinica Pardo, Avenida de la Cultura 710 (tel 240387 or 620126), which runs a 24hr service, with some English spoken; Hospital Antonio Lorena, Plaza de Belen (tel 226511); and Clinica Laboratorio Louis Pasteur, Tullumayo 768 (tel 234727), which has a gynaecologist. For 24hr emergency treatment, try Tourist Medical Assistance, or TMA (tel 621838), or Medic Fast (tel 688154, 252854 or 273155).

Internet facilities Red Cientifica Peruana INTERNET PERU, upstairs at Portal Comercio 141 (tel 229481 or 680354, rumichip@antara.rcp.net.pe) has Internet access, Internet phone calls and video conferencing, and they offer a monthly membership (about $10) that gives cheaper rates; Kafe Internet, Plateros 361 ( kfe@latinmail.com); Internet Station Speed X, Tecsecocha 400, is central, cheap and has a rapid connection; Telser, Calle Medio 125, also has a good link. Expect to pay around $1 an hour for logging on at all places.

Language schools AMAUTA, La Tertulia, second floor, Calle Procuradores 50 (tel & fax 241422, amauta@mail.cosapidata.com.pe, www.telser.com.pe/amauta), offer intensive 8hr Spanish courses. Staff also speak English, French, German and offer combined accommodation and language courses at the Casa de Campo.

Laundry A?a P'asA±a, Saphi 578a. Fairly cheap and efficient, with self-service also available; T'Aqsana Wasi, Santa Catalina Ancha 345; and Laundry, Tecsacocha 428.

Post office The main office, at Avenida Sol 800 (tel 225232), operates a quick and reliable poste restante system. Mon-Sat 7.30am-8pm, Sun 7.45am-2.30pm.

South American Explorers' Club Avenida Sol 930 (tel 223102). Good information sheets, trip reports and files on virtually everything about Cusco and Peru, including transport, trekking, hotels, Internet cafA©s and tour companies. The excellent clubhouse has a luggage deposit, noticeboard, library and book exchange. Mon-Fri 9.30am-5pm.

Telephones Telefonica del Peru, Avenida del Sol 382; and Telser, Calle Medio 117 (tel 242222).

Tourist Police Portal de Belen 115, Plaza de Armas (tel 221961 or 223626).

Tourist Protection Service Servicio de Protecion al Turista, Portal de Carrizos 250, Plaza de Armas (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm; tel & fax 252974).

Train tickets The Huanchaq station ticket office (Mon-Fri 7am-noon & 2-5pm, Sat 7am-noon, Sun 8-10am; tel 221931 or 221992 for information) sells Puno and Arequipa tickets. For Machu Picchu it's possible to buy tickets from the Peru Rail office in the yard at Huanchaq station (8am-6pm) or from San Pedro station (5-7am & 3-4pm; tel 238722 for reservations and sales).

Vaccinations Cusco Regional Hospital offers free yellow fever inoculations on Sat from 11am to 1pm.

Visas Migraciones, Avenida Sol, 620 (tel 222741). Mon-Fri 9am-5pm.

Western Union Santa Catalina Ancha 311 (tel 233727); and at Calle Medio 117 (tel 242222).