From the airport to the city centre Panama
From Tocumen International Airport. After a long-haul flight, this is undoubtedly where you'll arrive in Panama. Recently modernized and expanded, with two terminals, the country's main airport is located 20 km northeast of Panamá City. The capital is easily reached by cab (30-minute to 1-hour journey, depending on traffic). The cost is US$30 for 1 or 2 people, or US$15 per person for 3 or more. Fares are displayed at the "Taxi" desk on the first floor of the airport, on the right as you leave the arrivals area (where you'll also find cash dispensers and luggage storage). You can also take an Uber or Cabify (it's easier to get to the airport than to leave).
Since March 2023, you can reach the city center on a modern metro, either on foot or with a free, wi-fi "airport shuttle". The metro departs every 10 minutes. Get off at the "Estación Corredor Sur" stop on line 2. From here, head for "San Miguelito 2" (terminus), then change to line 1, direction "Albrook". Line 1 runs through the city center, where most hotels are located. It's very well signposted. The journey from the airport to Iglesia del Carmen station takes around 45 minutes. To access the metro, you can use a Visa bank card in contactless mode, or buy a card (which is also used for the Metrobus). All in all, a trip to or from the city center will cost you just 85 cents.
From Panamá Pacifico International Airport. This small airport is located just outside the city, on the west side this time, on the former U.S. military base at Howard. It handles Wingo flights from the main cities of Colombia and San José in Costa Rica. From the airport, expect to pay between US$30 and downtown (fares posted at the airport exit), with a journey time of between 25 and 60 minutes. Uber offers more affordable rates once again, but there was no public wifi in the airport at the time of our survey. Experienced (and not overburdened) travelers who want to save a few balboas can take a shared cab to the Pan-American Highway. These yellow cabs park opposite the airport parking lot, 100 m away (not the ones that park right in front of the arrivals hall). uS$3 per person. The cab will leave you next to a bus stop on the Pan-American Highway. From there, take any bus to the Albrook terminal (25 cents). From the terminal, you can reach downtown by metro or Metrobus.
From Albrook airport (Marcos A. Gelabert). This small airport is located 10 minutes from the center of town, next to the Albrook bus/metro terminal (no direct connection to the airport, you have to take a cab). It is mainly dedicated to domestic flights operated by Air Panamá, to David, Bocas de Toro, San Blas, Las Perlas... Cabs to the center cost US$10. You may have to negotiate the amount, as drivers tend to inflate prices. Uber or Cabify are generally more relaxed.
Other airports: Río Hato (Coclé province) mainly handles charter flights from North America for all-inclusive stays at resorts in the Playa Blanca area. David and Bocas del Toro (Isla Colón) airports handle a few flights from Costa Rica, but mainly domestic flights from Panama (Albrook).
Arrival by train Panama
The country's only railroad links Panamá City and Colón. Trains operated by the Panama Canal Railway (www.panarail.com) carry mainly freight containers. Passenger service is only provided once a day, Monday to Friday. Departure from Panama at 7:15 a.m., return from Colón at 5:15 p.m. uS$25 each way, US$15 for children under 12. 1-hour journey, much of it along the canal. Designed for tourists, this historic luxury train also carries merchants from the Colón Free Zone who live in the capital.
Arrival by boat Panama
Ofcourse, you can reach Panama by boat: cargo ship, cruise ship, sailboat... Crossing the Panama Canal is an unforgettable experience, a sailor's dream! The country has several marinas, on the Pacific side in Panamá City (Amador, Punta Pacifica...) and on the Atlantic side (Puerto Lindo, Portobelo...). Many long-distance travellers arrive from Colombia or set sail on charter yachts from Cartagena de Indias (4 or 5-day crossing), or aboard lanchas (motorboats) from Capurgana (between 12 hours and 3-4 days' journey, depending on the type of trip, tourist or otherwise). We follow the Caribbean coast via the San Blas archipelago, with a few stops on the islands. It's magical, but you need to be careful in your choice of boat, as you'll be travelling through sensitive areas (drug trafficking and migratory routes). On the other hand, we do not recommend the perilous trip by lancha from/to Colombia via the Pacific coast, as the area is dangerous due to the presence of criminal groups in the Colombian Chocó region.
Travel to and between Panama's manyislands is sometimes by small ferry (Isla Taboga, Las Perlas...), but mostly by lancha, motorboats of varying power and capacity. Be careful during the Panamanian summer, as the sea is often rough and shakes things up quite a bit. Tip: sit as far back as possible, and bring a small cushion for your fragile hindquarters! At sea, as on the rivers of the Darien, make sure you wear the lifejacket that will (normally) have been given to you on boarding.
Public transport Panama
Metro. Panamá is the only Central American country to have a metro. Its arrival in 2014 has profoundly improved travel in the capital. There are two lines. Line 1 serves much of the center of the capital (the one most used by tourists). Line 2, inaugurated in 2019, serves the eastern part of the city and, more recently, Tocumen airport. A3rd line serving the west of the conurbation from Albrook is due to open in a few years' time. Modern, fast, clean, safe and air-conditioned, the Panamanian metro is a convenient way to get around, especially between the modern city center and the bus station (Albrook). The most useful stations for tourists are "5 de Mayo" (near Casco Antiguo), "Iglesia del Carmen" and "Vía Argentina" (Cangrejo).
Access to the metro requires the purchase of a non-personal rechargeable card (Metro, MetroBus or RapiPass) (you can buy a single card for several people). It costs US$2, plus the cost of recharging. A trip on line 1 costs 35 cents, 50 cents on line 2. Reduced fares for students, pensioners and people with disabilities. These special fares apply to nationals and foreign residents. The metro is open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays and public holidays. More information at www.elmetrodepanama.com
Buses. There are two types of bus: the "Metrobus" are modern (air-conditioned, stop button, voice announcements for stations, etc.) and have specific stations. Trips cost 25 cents (or US$1.25 for those taking the Corredor Sur or Corredor Norte expressways). They are gradually replacing the old " diablos rojos ", the picturesque "red devils": loud horns, impatient drivers, flashy nightclub-style decor... An adventure in itself! The destination is written on the windscreen and shouted out energetically by the " pavos ", who are responsible for gathering passengers in the midst of the traffic hubbub. There is no official stop. To request a stop, you have to shout loudly " PARADAAA ". You pay when you get off to the driver or the pavo. Diablos rojos are disappearing with the development of the Metrobus network and the metro, but we still see quite a few. There are also pirate minibuses, but these are mainly used by workers living in outlying districts. The MiBus Maps Panamá application can help you organize your Metrobus journeys (real-time traffic, nearby stations, etc.). You can also use the Moovit application, which covers other modes of transport.
To travel around the country from the capital, you need to go to the Gran Terminal Nacional de Transporte, commonly known as Terminal de Albrook. This vast bus station, located in the Albrook district and connected to metro line 1 (and a huge shopping mall), serves most provincial cities and even San José in Costa Rica (Tica Bus companies - www.ticabus.com -, or Expresso Panamá - www.expresopanama.com). Frequent connections and low fares. You don't need to book your ticket in normal times, but it's advisable to buy it in advance on weekends and the eve of public holidays, or for certain routes (night buses to David, or Almirante, a town on the way to Bocas in particular). In the provinces, it's common to buy tickets directly on the bus. Coaches and minibuses are generally air-conditioned, sometimes to the extreme! Warm clothing (fleece, hood or cap, socks, blanket) is essential for long-distance night buses, rightly nicknamed neveras (refrigerators)! A 10-cent fee is charged for access to buses. The "RapiPass" card is required to pass through the turnstile (the same card is needed to access the public toilets, which cost 25 cents). If you don't have a RapiPass card, the security guards will usually let you through free of charge. If you don't have a RapiPass card, ask a passenger to let you through with their card, in exchange for a small coin.
"La Ruta Verde. As part of the project to pedestrianize the capital's historic center, five electric buses from the MiBus company were put on the road in May 2023 to link the Casco Antiguo with El Chorrillo, the Cinta costera y the Plaza 5 de Mayo. This is the first line to operate with 100% electric buses in Central America.
Bike, scooters & co Panama
There are few cyclists (or motorcyclists) in Panama. Drivers aren't used to them, so you need to be very careful if you set out on Panamanian roads. In Panamá City, where traffic is particularly chaotic, you can ride without risk on the Cinta Costera and Causeway bike lanes. On Sunday mornings, a lane is reserved for cyclists(Ciclovía Recreativa) between Marbella and Amador. In the rest of the country, El Valle, Boquete and, above all, Bocas are rather bici-friendly towns!
With a driver Panama
Cabs are numerous in the capital. You will have no difficulty finding one, except during rush hour(horas pico) on weekdays (6:30-9:00 am and 4:00-7:00 pm) and when it starts raining! They are yellow and have an identification number. You will be invited to get in by blowing the horn. Cabs are not equipped with a meter(taximeter), the average cost for a trip in the city is around 2.50 or 3 US$ (+0.50 US$ per additional person and +0.50 US$ after 10 pm, as well as all day on Sundays and holidays). In principle only, because in practice the rates are often given to the head or to the accent of the customer. Be sure to ask for the fare before starting the trip to avoid unpleasant surprises. Trips from airports have fixed rates, which are displayed on site. Please note that payments are only made in cash and it is recommended to have small bills as drivers rarely have change for a 20 or 50 US$ bill.
The Uber and Cabify applications allow you to know the price of the trip, which is often cheaper than a cab. You can pay with cash or credit card via the app. Another advantage is that they will take you wherever you want, unlike the Panamanian cab which is known to sometimes answer with an unpleasant " NO VOY " (which translates as "I'm not going there", basically: "it's not my route"!) when you tell them an address that is not convenient..
By car Panama
Panamanian roads are very good by Latin American standards. The Panamerican or Interamericana road is the country's main thoroughfare. It crosses the country from east to west, from the Costa Rican border to Yaviza, in the Darién region, where it stops and only resumes in Colombia. It is therefore not possible to travel from Panama to Colombia by car, motorcycle or bicycle overland (you have to board a ferry at Colón to reach Cartagena or Barranquilla).
The second main route is theTransísmica, which runs north-south between Panamá City and Colón. The secondary roads are paved but not necessarily in good condition, and obstacles are frequent: potholes, chickens, dogs asleep in the sun, herds of cows, spirited horses, iguanas and sloths crossing at their own pace! Watch out, too, for children walking along the road to school, or men staggering back from cantinas on Sunday evenings!
Driving and road safety. Seatbelts are only compulsory in the front seat, but don't lose the habit of wearing them in the back too. As a general rule, the speed limit is 80 km/h on roads (with short sections at 100 km/h) and 40 or 60 km/h in built-up areas. Roads are not lit at night (which falls around 6-6.30pm), making driving difficult. In town, be careful at intersections: traffic lights are placed on the other side of the street to be crossed, not in front of it, as in the USA. Driving is sporty: priority is given according to the law of the strongest. Basically, let the diablos rojos and the big 4x4s pass and use the horn! In the event of a collision, the vehicles involved must stay where they are, even if they are totally obstructing the road, until the police arrive to draw up a report. Otherwise, your insurance company may not cover you. This rule partly explains the frequent traffic jams(el tranque) in the capital. It's also important to notify your rental car company immediately in the event of an accident. Outside Panamá City, driving is much more relaxed and there are few people on the roads (apart from weekend departures and returns). Be careful, you can overtake on the right as well as on the left, so use all three mirrors!
Road signs. Almost non-existent. Better than renting a GPS (around US$10 per day), we recommend you install the free Maps.Me application on your smartphone (download the map of the country when you arrive in Panama, as soon as you find a Wifi network). You won't need the Internet to use it, just your phone's GPS. Don't rely too much on the advertised journey times, but otherwise it works pretty well. Even better, the Waze application can tell you about incidents on the road and the presence of traffic police, in addition to the various possible routes. You'll need to acquire a SIM card and install a mobile dataplan for a few dollars.
Journey times. Don't be fooled by distances in kilometers; here it's more appropriate to talk in terms of travel time, due to roads sometimes in poor condition, or violent storms that will have you driving at less than 20 km/h.
Parking. Even if the country is very safe, it is advisable to leave your vehicle in a guarded parking lot. In town, in front of restaurants and cafés, an improvised guard (a"bien cuidao") may ask you for a coin for parking your car and helping you with the manoeuvre. It's customary to leave a dollar or two for the service.
Police. Beware of mobile speed cameras (radar pistols) for speed checks, which are very plentiful, especially on the long straights of the Pan-American Highway. Fines(la boleta) are heavy and must normally be paid to the Transit and Land Transport Authority (ATTT) in the city where the offence was committed... The coima (the small US$20 bill passed from hand to hand) is sometimes subtly requested by the traffic policeman to "arrange" things for you. We do not encourage this practice, even though it is common on Panamanian roads. It's up to you. Traffic wardens can be overzealous, so always remain calm and courteous, and try to lighten the mood. An international driver's license (simply a translation of your national license) is not required, but your foreign driver's license is valid for a maximum of 90 days from the date of your entry into the country. You will therefore need to present your passport in the event of an inspection. The minimum driving age is 18, but car rental companies sometimes require you to be 21, 23 or even 25 to rent a vehicle without having to pay a young-driver supplement.
Gas stations (gasolinera or bomba) are plentiful throughout the country. To fill up, you generally don't have to get out of the car; a pump attendant will serve you. Tipping is not generally expected, except for extra services such as windshield cleaning. Please note that some service stations do not accept credit cards, so check before filling up. Fuel prices are lower than in France. At the beginning of 2023, it was around US$1.25 per liter for gasoline, and less than US$1 for diesel. Gasoline is called gasolina, diesel. Most rental companies offer gasoline-powered vehicles.
Rental. A car is a very practical and pleasant way to visit Panama, offering more freedom than the bus. The main international car rental agencies are based in Panamá City and the major cities. In the capital, they are concentrated in Vía Veneto and adjacent streets, but also on the outskirts and at Tocumen and Albrook airports. We don't recommend renting at the airport after a long flight. It's better to take a cab and deal with it calmly the next day at an agency in Panamá. You'll be less subject to scams (common at the airport) and won't have the stress of driving at night and jet-lagged to find your hotel. If you're planning to stay in the capital for a few days, renting a car has more disadvantages than advantages, so it's best to use the metro, Uber or cab, and start renting on the day you leave the city. To rent a car, you'll need a driver's license (valid for at least 1 or 2 years, depending on the rental company), your original passport, and usually an international credit card for the deposit. It is possible to rent a car in Panama and return it in another city(drop-off), but this can represent a significant supplement. However, it is not permitted to cross the border into Costa Rica with a rental car.
Which vehicle should I choose? A 4x4(cuatro-por-cuatro) is useless if you don't leave the main roads. If you're exploring the country in greater depth and taking secondary roads, an SUV-type vehicle is ideal (even if it's not a 4x4), due to the condition of some roads. A 4x4 is only essential for certain steep roads or muddy tracks, especially in the rainy season. To reach Gardi, for example, the port of entry to the San Blas, a 4x4 is essential due to the impressive gradient of the road on certain stretches. Cars with automatic gearboxes are the most common (and a little more expensive), but you soon get used to them, even if you've been driving manual gearboxes for a long time.
What about hitchhiking? Hitchhiking is rarely practiced, except in the countryside. As everywhere in Latin America, it's rarely free and it's customary to leave a little something as a thank-you, or to politely ask the driver " ¿ cuanto le debo? " (How much do I owe you?)
Accessibility Panama
Panamanian cities are not very accessible for people with reduced mobility, or traveling with a stroller. Sidewalks are in poor condition and protected pedestrian crossings are rare. The Cinta Costera and Causeway promenades, as well as the modern shopping malls, are the capital's exceptions. In terms of transport, the metro provides easy access for people with reduced mobility or visual impairments. Hotels are supposed to comply with standards to facilitate access for all, including specially equipped rooms, but only the most recent hotels generally comply with regulations.
Tourist traps Panama
Cabs don't have a meter and it takes some experience on the spot to estimate the price of a trip. Cab drivers take advantage of this and often charge tourists three times the official price. Agree on the price before you start your trip to avoid problems when you pay. If in doubt, ask to consult the map of zones and rates that the driver must have in his vehicle (see the site: www.transito.gob.pa/tarifa-taxis). The Uber and Cabify applications are good alternatives to avoid this kind of price negotiations.
For car rental, beware of very low call prices, especially on the Internet, which can turn out to be real scams. In general, the low rates do not take into account the mandatory insurance and optional supplementary insurance, which make the rates explode.
