About Guatemala - Chapter 10 - Transportation within Guatemala

General information

It is easy to get around Guatemala: there is no lack of old school buses or "micros" on its roads, you never expect a lot to pass and it is cheap $1.50 to $2. If you are looking for direct transport, door to door, there are no shortage of offers aimed at tourists, but these shuttles are much more expensive and you miss the trip locally.

Buses in Guatemala

It is the usual way to move around Guatemala, in general it is easy and cheap. There are regional differences regarding the type of bus. What is most abundant, especially throughout the south of the country, are old school-type buses, well maintained and modified on the outside. Only in some sections are they saturated with people and that is when you have to share a seat between 3 people, but in general you travel quite comfortable.

If you travel with small luggage, you carry it in the upper luggage racks (but always keep an eye on it), people leave their belongings there with peace of mind. Otherwise they go in the back or up on the outside.

Quite new "coasters" (minibuses) and "micros" (Toyota vans) circulate mainly in the Alta Verapaz area (Cobán, Lanquín) and Petén. Between rural towns and on unpaved roads, it is common to move around in pick-up trucks, directly in the box, standing up without seats. It is used in specific destinations such as to go from Lanquín to Semuc Champey

They travel quite fast even though they often stop to pick up more people (on average about 50km /h).

Guatemala bus price

Cheap transportation, Q10 to Q15 ($1.50 to $2.00) on average in main sections.

The cost of transportation in Peten rises, but always looking to consult different sites can give you the idea of the fair payment. This is not the case in the rest of Guatemala, travelers pay the right price, in general it is not written on the bus (in case of doubt, ask a passenger)

There is a lot of frequency between the main cities and towns of Guatemala (in general there is a bus leaving every 15-30 min). There are not always direct buses between tourist spots, such as between Antigua and Chichicastenango or Panajachel, but the transfers are quick, getting off at the crossroads (never wait more than 5 minutes).

The buses carry the names of the cities written, it is convenient to read them to be clear about the destination. The names of the cities to visit are written on top of the windshield.

Guatemala bus safety

In general, it is safe to use public transport, but it is true that some routes that lead to Guatemala City (especially east of the capital) and urban routes on the capital's red buses have histories of robberies.

It is very rare that something happens on the buses that travelers use!

Pullman type bus in Guatemala

They are companies that connect the main cities of the country on long routes, with more modern style buses, although not always very new (there are usually different categories and prices in many cases). In general, they are not used much in the south of the country: they are more expensive and not faster than van-type (school) buses.

But they are the usual way to travel between Guatemala City and Cobán or Guatemala City and Santa Elena (Flores), in this case with night buses. They usually have specific departure times.

Pullman companies: Línea Dorada, Fuente del Norte, Monja Blanca (Cobán), etc.

Many of them have private websites and terminals. You can even buy online. It would be the most "modern" transportation in Guatemala.

Bus Stations

The "terminals" are usually a wasteland and are often located next to a market area. We don't want to imagine what it will be like when it rains, with the people who move through Guatemala every day, with their baskets and luggage.

There are usually no waiting chairs, or a shed, or offices, it is best to consult a local about the route you want to take to have a clear idea of what to take and where to wait specifically.

Tourist shuttles

It is the most used transport by most tourists who visit Guatemala. They directly connect the main tourist destinations: Guatemala airport, Antigua, Panajachel (also San Pedro), Chichicastenango, Lanquín / Semuc Champey, Río Dulce, Flores, Tikal. There are also shuttles that connect with Mexico (Palenque, San Cristóbal), Honduras (Copán) and El Salvador.

Ideally, you will find an offer that suits the destination you want to visit, normally it is used as direct transport to the destination, but taking into account that it is not always the most comfortable option for long hours of travel. In general, trips are between $ 10-20!

International routes

There are connections between Guatemala and the rest of the Central American countries and Mexico. They are often very long routes, lasting several days in many cases. There are more and more international companies. TICA BUS, passes through all of Central America from Panama to Mexico. Platinum, Hedman Alas, etc. Most companies have websites. It is much cheaper to take local buses, on either side of the border.

Roads in Guatemala

Guatemala's main highways are generally normal, although it varies greatly from region to region. From unfolded highways such as the one that goes from Guatemala City to Xela or the one that goes down to the coast from the capital (the latter with a toll) or the one that goes to the Caribbean that is in expansion works. There is a lot of traffic, especially trucks and buses, on the main route that crosses the country (Guatemala City-Xela) and the descent to the coast.

Boats

These are boats mainly on Lake Atitlán (they connect towns such as Panajachel, Santiago, San Marcos, San Pedro, for about Q25-4 $) and the tourist stretch from Río Dulce to Livingston (the price is expensive, Q125-18 $ for a 1h30 ride!). There is also a ferry from Puerto Barrios to Livingston, cheaper to reach this Caribbean town. The boats that connect Livingston with Belize (Punta Gorda) are expensive: $ 25.

Flight

Flights in Guatemala are concentrated at the Aurora International Airport. There are flights to other cities in America and Europe, although fares are often cheaper to neighboring Mexico or El Salvador. There are several low-costs that operate between Guatemala and Mexico, as well as Costa Rica and the USA. Volaris, Interjet, Spirit Airlines.

Domestic flights are limited to the route between the capital and Flores (Petén, to visit the Mayan ruins of Tikal), also between the city and Huehuetenango. These flights don't usually go below $ 100-120. The main company is Avianca, but also Tropic Air and TAG.

Car rental

It is not very common since there is public transport to almost all places in Guatemala and it is cheap. But if you want more comfort when traveling with family or friends and deciding your destination on the go will undoubtedly be your best option, you can visit our Car rental section to see the best options today.

Tuc Tuc

The tuc-tuc are a very common transport in the interior of the country, an ideal means of transport for visitors who like to experience the reality of the country up close and be part of the day-to-day life of Guatemala; The costs are variable but an approximate estimate in the range is from Q10 to Q50 depending on the distance you need to travel, you can obtain information on them at the Municipalities or the information centers at the destinations or at the reception of your hotel.

Taxi

There are two types of taxis in Guatemala City, the yellow ones and the white ones; The recommendation is that you can move if necessary in the moorings where you can schedule your transfer to your destination and have all the information on costs and schedules on their official website.

We also have Uber in Guate.