Key Facts
•Arrival. Pope Leo XIV, born in the US, lands at Callao naval air base, Lima’s port area, at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday 11 November.
•Closures. Streets around the central square, Plaza Mayor, close, as does Avenida Aviación in San Borja district.
•Metro. La Cultura station on Lima’s Metro Line 1 stays shut during the pope’s evening meeting.
•Thursday. Lima and Callao have non-working afternoons on 11 and 12 November, from 1 p.m.
•As of 10 November 2026, 14:00 GMT
Lima shuts and diverts major roads on 11 and 12 November for the homecoming of Pope Leo XIV. The American-born pope spent years as a missionary and bishop in Peru, so the capital is preparing for very large crowds.
Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Prevost in the United States, lands on Wednesday 11 November and heads to the Government Palace, the seat of the president, in the historic centre. American pilgrims and travellers in Lima will feel the closures that evening, because he later meets officials in the San Borja district.
Lima is on the same clock as US Eastern time in November (UTC-5), so every time below matches the east coast. The plan is the one published by the authorities as of 10 November.
What We Know About Wednesday Evening
Wednesday 11 November at a Glance
- 5:30 p.m. Plane lands at Callao naval air base
- 6:15 p.m. Welcome ceremony at the Government Palace
- 6:45 p.m. Visit with President Keiko Fujimori
- 7:45 p.m. Meeting with authorities and diplomats at the Gran Teatro Nacional
The Peruvian Episcopal Conference, the country’s bishops’ body, says the pope first travels in a closed vehicle from the airport. The popemobile, the open papal vehicle, is due to be used especially along Avenida Brasil.
Plaza Mayor is the central square, also called Plaza de Armas, beside the Government Palace and the Cathedral. Authorities restrict the area around it, including Avenida Tacna, Avenida Emancipación and Avenida Abancay.
How Buses and Metro Change
The ATU, Lima’s urban transport authority, says police close Avenida Aviación near the Gran Teatro Nacional, the national theatre in San Borja. Conventional bus routes that normally use it divert via Avenida Guardia Civil and nearby avenues.
La Cultura station on Metro Line 1, Lima’s elevated railway, stays closed while the 7:45 p.m. meeting takes place. The Red corridor, one of Lima’s main bus lines, skips the La Cultura stop and uses the Javier Prado expressway.
The Metropolitano, Lima’s bus rapid transit system, adds empty buses on Wednesday at its Jirón de la Unión and Tacna stations to carry people to Plaza Mayor. The Blue and Purple bus corridors, two main Lima bus lines, add buses around the square.
What We Know About Thursday 12 November
The government declared the afternoons of Wednesday 11 and Thursday 12 November non-working in Lima and Callao, the port city next door, from 1 p.m. until midnight. Decree 020-2026-TR makes the hours compensable, and private employers and staff agree how to make them up.
At 11:30 a.m. the pope meets Peruvians in the square in front of the Cathedral, the main church of Lima. The ATU says the Blue and Purple corridors and the Metropolitano start running at 4 a.m. to bring people downtown.
At 6 p.m. a prayer vigil with young people takes place at the Estadio Nacional, the national stadium. The vigil was moved there from the Estadio Monumental, another Lima stadium, and the ATU runs extra buses to take people home.
What Is Not Known
We could not find the exact time the popemobile passes each street. We also could not find how long each closure will last.
It is unclear whether routes will change on the day for security reasons. Treat the published plan as the plan as of 10 November, not as a guarantee.
What It Means for Travelers and US Readers
Avoid the historic centre and Avenida Aviación on the evening of 11 November, and allow extra time near the Government Palace and San Borja. Metro riders should use another station while La Cultura is closed.
Expect offices to close early on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons and crowds to build from the early morning. Check the ATU and city notices before you leave your hotel.
For the wider schedule, read our guide, Pope Leo XIV in Lima and Cusco: the full programme, and follow the Peru news hub. The visit runs until 16 November.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Pope Leo XIV arrive in Lima?
His plane lands at Callao naval air base at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday 11 November, the same as US Eastern time. A welcome ceremony follows at 6:15 p.m. at the Government Palace.
Which roads are closed around Plaza Mayor?
Authorities restrict the area around the square, including Avenida Tacna, Avenida Emancipación and Avenida Abancay. The Blue and Purple bus corridors add buses around the zone.
Is Thursday 12 November a working day in Lima?
Partly. The government declared 1 p.m. to midnight non-working in Lima and Callao on both 11 and 12 November, and the hours are compensable.
Which Metro station is closed?
La Cultura station on Line 1 stays closed during the pope’s 7:45 p.m. meeting at the Gran Teatro Nacional on Wednesday.
Sources: Municipality of Lima, ATU (Autoridad de Transporte Urbano, Lima’s transport authority), Peruvian Episcopal Conference, Government of Peru decree 020-2026-TR (published in El Peruano, the official gazette), Vatican apostolic-journey programme
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