Yes, taxis in Guat. There are tour companies all over San Cristobal that you can approach independently to book a ticket. With an average income of less than US$400 a month, owning a car is out of reach for most Guatemalans, so the vast majority of locals rely on public transport to get around. There are no schedules all depends on the driver's mood. They tend to speed, especially while driving on winding roads. A peculiar sight flies through Guatemalas densely packed cities streets and rolling, mountainous countryside: a fleet of thousands of American school buses. For some people, they may represent the resourcefulness and tenacity of the Guatemalan people. From Oaxaca State: many people choose to take the coastal Route 200 through Chiapas and down into Guatemala. Discover Lake Atitlan on kayaks, explore the active volcano Pacaya or play hide and seek in the large archaeological complex of Tikal before heading out to Belize for its fantastic underwater world and gorgeous beaches. Just pipe in a little Barry Manilow through the speakers and feel free to take a nap. Once you're through immigration on the Guatemalan side at La Mesilla, you can find a chicken bus to take you to your final destination - such as Quetzaltenango (40 Quetzals/$5.25) or Huehuetenango (20Q/$2.65, 2 hours). Chicken buses are the local transport in Central America mainly in Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Honduras. Things to do in Guatemala City Its a good option for exploring these cities its safe, the price is fixed and if you dont speak Spanish, you can leave everything to the app. Youll find the ride less bumpy and drier if you sit near the back. Prices and availability may change without notice, see. one of the best lunches I've ever had was a pollo dorado lunch sitting at a dusty comedor on the side of the road in Iztapa. **As you can see, this is all very sketchy. No elements found. Taking the public buses connecting most Guatemalan destinations is a great way to save money since most Guatemalans rely on buses for transportation. Just remember that some of the problems in this big city could happen in any big city. Tuk-tuks have largely replaced pickup trucks or picop, as locals call them as the preferred method of cheap local transportation. Note that tickets are often collected by conductors at the end of the journey, so make sure you dont lose yours. Go tailor-made! Fuel (gasolina) costs US$4.40 per gallon. Disclaimer: GoatsOnTheRoad.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. From the mamita hawking prepared sandwiches, theres usually a distinct pan con Pollo or pan with chile aroma in the air. For more information on accessible travel, check out Lonely Planets Accessible Travel Resources page. Passengers pay a daily charge to use the service. Buses are cheap, convenient, and can be wildly entertaining. Chicken buses. Either having been given away or sold at low prices by the U.S. government, they are just old yellow school buses! Put a luggage rack on top. The Chicken Bus Guatemala is a spectacular and rather shocking sight to witness. Striking work by photographer Richard Mosse shows how merging art and technology can cut through dry data. Fortunately, whatever the pace of your journey, youll always have the spectacular Guatemalan countryside to wonder at. If youre prone to motion sickness, you may want to take a motion sickness pill. Visit Antigua with the nearby Pacaya volcano before heading to Lake Atitln and further to Tikal, once one of the most powerful kingdoms of the ancient Maya. ! Outside the capital, metered cabs are non-existent, so its essential to fix a price before you set off. The road ran along the top of the ridge. For the most part the service is extremely comprehensive, reaching even the smallest of villages. Each passenger is allocated a seat and all pullmans are pretty punctual. Because of this, buses are almost always busy, but it also means there's almost always a bus going where you want to go. Using small vans or minibuses, tourist shuttles operate between all the major tourist destinations in Guatemala. Not exactly a classic "chicken" bus, but it was an old barely functional school bus. I wouldn't recommend any of these. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. Unless your average city is Detroit, East Saint Louis or one of the third world barrios of Los Angeles. July 3, 2019// by There are many ways to travel from Guatemala City Airport to Antigua. Drivers have to pay protection money to gangs, often out of their own pockets. Its also possible that they will accept US dollars, but not at a very good exchange rate. The tracks are a whirlwind of activity. Tickets can be bought from virtually any travel agent in the country. Those who grew up in North America may remember the Bluebird buses that brought them to and from school. Public Bus (Chicken Bus) from Lanqun to Guatemala City. If you havent paid for your exit fee at the bank in San Cristobal, or if you dont have your proof of payment, make sure to have enough pesos on you to pay for this fee. Look for the bus with the city name on the front. Christmas decorations and pompoms are likely to be adorning the inside, which may have boxers or Che Guevara paintings. Shuttles are usually double the price of the chicken bus. You only need an international drivers license to drive in Guatemala if youre from a country with a non-Roman alphabet; other travelers can use a valid drivers license from their home country for the first 30 days. Buses in Guatemala come in two classes: comfortable first-class Pullman buses and second-class chicken buses revamped US school buses that go almost everywhere. All the main routes are paved, but beyond this many roads are often extremely rough. Lanchas can and sometimes do capsize, especially on windy days. | Untold Earth, Meet Ms. Showtime: Motorcyclist, Poet, Trailblazer, How Chinese Folk Dancers Continue to Practice During Quarantine, Peek Inside NYCs Iconic Rubber Stamp Shop, Searching for Home and Connection Through Typewritten Poetry, Show & Tell With Colored-Pencil Cartographer Anton Thomas, Oaxaca's Intricate Radish-Sculpting Festival, Reviving the Lost Art of Cambodian Shadow Puppetry, A Spherical 'Micro-Nation' in the Middle of Vienna, The Giant Megaphones Tucked Inside a Remote Estonian Forest, The Wonderful World of a Garden Dedicated to Gourds, Show & Tell: The Magic of Imperfect Objects With Jessica Oreck. From the Pacific coast to the Caribbean, through Atitlan or Quiche, the only routes that this . Guatemala City is also the capital of the Municipality of Guatemala and of the Guatemala Department. Tropic Air runs from Flores to Belize City. And bus rides are never boring. I've been traveling to Guat since probably you were born. Privacy Policy - Contact - Affiliate Disclaimer, Copyright 2022 Guatemala Transport Service. The other is to take a city transit bus in Guatemala City. These buses are a unique mode of travel that involves paying with cash, unlike regular modes of public transit that need a pre-loaded card. Driving at night is never a good idea: in addition to low visibility and the possibility of animals wandering onto the road, intoxicated drivers and armed robberies are a real risk. Local warning signs are also worth getting to know. But you can also take them in the capital to get you closer to certain attractions, instead of paying more for a taxi. Not sure I'd do it now though. Many youngsters prefer to listen to their music while on the bus, even if the vehicle has a pre-loaded playlist. The popular chicken buses are the low-cost collective buses that Guatemalans use to travel from town to town. There are 3 types of buses that operate in Guatemala City: the Transmetro, Transurbano and red city buses. After reading some posts I'm wondering if its ok to ride one in the daytime. Chicken Buses in Guatemala City: Find opening hours and directions, compare prices before booking, see photos, and read reviews. This article may be sponsored or include a provided product or affiliate link. How to get from Guatemala City to Antigua Guatemala You can bring your own car into the country, but it involves quite a bit of bureaucracy. Now, this fee definitely isnt official and is something new that the border guards are trying out. From taco trucks to fine dining and everything in between, your options are practically endless for eating out here. But yeah, as everyone else says, avoid the red city buses. The majority of school buses in the United States are a minimum of a century old and have logged more than fifty thousand kilometers. The TRUTH About Chicken Buses in Central America Cheap way from Guatemala City to Antigua (Chicken Bus?) Travelling from Mexico to Guatemala? site may be reprodiced without our written permission. Alternatively, you may use. First-class buses are about double the price of second-class buses, but theyre also much faster, safer and more comfortable. Direct Chicken Bus from Guatemala City to Panajachel With 200 miles of coastline, over 170 volcanoes, multiple archeological sites and a rich coffee and cacao farming tradition, El Salvador is a wonderland. You wont see many chickens on the buses these days, but they transport just about anything else. The Guat. *Fares displayed have been collected within the last 48hrs and may no longer be available at time of booking. After reading some posts I'm wondering if its ok to ride one in the daytime. If someone starts a conversation with you and inches closer, put your hand over your bags zipper. 2. Filling stations (gasolineras) are common. They are auctioned off for roughly $2,000 and sold to customers who ride them to Guatemala. These small buses are more expensive than the chicken buses, but they're also more comfortable. 170Q/$22.30, at 9:00pm, 8 hour journey). It includes the stops throughout the nation, the length of the journey, and the bus route to transport you there. Driving in Guatemala certainly offers unrivalled freedom, though traffic is incessantly heavy in the capital and always busy along the Interamericana and the highway to Puerto Barrios. Flights to Guatemala City (GUA) from GBP 659* With basic Spanish, you can also ask fellow passengers about the correct fare, so you dont end up paying twice as much as everyone else. Theres a rental outlet in Panajachel which charges from US$45 a day. Along the Pacific coast, you can explore the mangroves of the Chiquimulilla canal from Monterrico and Paredn. They also put on different images of virgins and saints to protect their "ride". If you like the freedom of traveling according to your own schedule, driving is always an option. Known locally as camionetas, chicken buses are more frequent than Pullman buses, and they cover pretty much every city, town and village in Guatemala. Its prepared for an extreme makeover once the chicken bus arrives in Guatemala. To build a chicken bus you take a US school bus, redo the interior seating so there is an extra ten rows and 3 across seating on each side. The one-way fee is 35 GTQ (4.60 USD). Me and my girlfriend researched a lot on where exactly to catch the direct bus (if it existed) from G. City (Zone 1) to Panajachel but eventually just arrived in G. City and found it out ourselves. There are robbers, so don't go with a lot of belongings. Always take full-cover insurance and be aware that many companies will make you sign a clause so you are responsible for the first US$1000 of damage in the event of an accident, damage or theft. After living in the country now and having many guatemalan friends I would strongly caution against these busesthis city it completely controlled by serious gangs into serious meyhem. With its pyramids, ruins, jungles, volcanoes and thriving Mayan culture, Guatemala is where the story of Central America comes vividly to life. These buses are a necessity and a tradition for the locals. They're used throughout the country, and the number of people who ride them is way higher than those who own a car. Hope this was helpful !! It will get you to your destination, but be prepared for long travel days, bumpy roads and some discomfort. In addition to the many photographic books and exciting documentaries, the buses have been the topic of numerous different media. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. Once youre through immigration on the Guatemalan side at La Mesilla, you can find a chicken bus to take you to your final destination such as Quetzaltenango (40 Quetzals/$5.25) or Huehuetenango (20Q/$2.65, 2 hours). Which of our ready-to-go tours in Guatemala makes Pullman buses go to Guatemala City (approx. Yes most of these buses travel into smaller towns surrounding the big urban cities. These express services are about 25 percent more expensive than the regular buses around US$1.50 an hour, though there are some very luxurious, more pricey options. Its not only the appearance of a chicken bus in Guatemala thats eye-catching; youll also find a plethora of high-tech amenities inside, including flat-screen Televisions, speakers, sound systems, and fluorescent lighting. However, the risk posed by the interior side of the country buses cannot be overstated since they often go through areas controlled by criminal gangs. There are no guarantees while traveling on a chicken bus in Guatemala. When we were in San Cristobal, we attempted to change some of our Pesos for Quetzals (the currency of Guatemala), but no money changers or banks had any of their neighbours currency. Do I take one leaving GC, for. The initials of women and wrestlers banners are sprayed on the outside, the doors are often covered with boxing pictures, and the music system is typically turned up. You can book shuttle seats at any local travel agency, but the shuttle may actually depart from a different location. Disclaimer, 22 Most Impressive Walled Cities in the World, 18 Best Things to do in Frankfurt, Germany, 23 Most Beautiful Islands in the Mediterranean. Len to Guatemala City - 7 ways to travel via bus, car, shuttle, and plane But others get extreme makeovers. The weather in Guatemala City stays relatively constant all year, with temperatures ranging between an average of 17C (63F) in January and 21C (70F) in April. Here, they wait for passengers in Antigua, Guatemala. Be warned that the main roads include plenty of formidable potholes, and its a rare ride that doesnt involve at least one steep climb chicken buses will carry bikes on the roof if you cant face the hills. Guatemalan Chicken Buses We don't book chicken buses shuttles, taxis and private vans, but not chicken buses. Antigua is off most such routes. We opted to reserve our shuttle bus ticket with the hostel we were staying at (Rossco Backpackers). But at least the transaction was friendly and smooth, unlike other times when weve changed money at borders. "Chicken buses" are light-years away from their air-conditioned, spacious, carbon-monoxide-free American counterparts. In Guatemala, a vacation would not be perfect before riding in some of those brightly colored chicken buses. Where they are available, boats are often the preferred mode of transport because theyre quicker than going by road. But GC is not your average city. Guatemala is only about the size of Tennessee and smaller than England, so traveling by plane domestically isnt common, but it is a useful option for avoiding the long bus ride to Flores and Tikal, or for traveling on from Flores to Belize. For example, if you book a shuttle from San Pedro La Laguna on Lago de Atitln to San Cristbal de las Casas in Mexico, you'll first need to catch an early boat to Panajachel, where the shuttle journey begins (check with the travel agency to confirm if the price of the ticket includes your boat fare). 13 reviews 5 helpful votes Cheap way from Guatemala City to Antigua (Chicken Bus?) Between 2010 and 2017 attacks on buses have claimed more than 2,000 lives, notably in the capital of Guatemala City, according to Insight Crime, a think tank and publication that investigates organized crime in South and Central America. If you plan to continue further south into Central America, expect to pay for more entry permits. Unfortunately, its either pay the $1.30, or dont enter the country. Chicken buses (camionetas) from Guatemala City leave approximately every hour, from 6AM to 4PM, and cost 30Q. But it is on the Panamerican highway. So, since we knew this would happen, we contacted our airline and had them send us a breakdown of fees included in our airline ticket. Do I take one leaving GC, for example, to Antigua? The company they worked with was Chincultik, and the cost of a ticket from San Cristobal to Panajachel(Pana) was 305 MXN ($19.75) each, with the full journey taking 8 or 9 hours. Word of caution thoughhoping onto the red buses in Guate can get you into some serious trouble. Getting 50 Mayans to sing along with Jim Morrison as we drove above the clouds was an strange experience. Guatemala. Residents and others may be able to provide you with information on flight and departure timings. . If unsure ask people where to stand exactly for the bus going to "La Frontera de El Salvador" or someone directing the buses will ask you where you are going. How to Navigate the Public Transport System in Guatemala Consider changing the search query. Really appreciate your. Most important of all is a sacred heart of Jesus photo up next to the driver. Three-wheeled Thai tuk-tuks have proliferated throughout Guatemala in the last few years, operating as taxis, buzzing around the streets, Bangkok-style. To flag down a tuk-tuk, simply put out your hand and make an up-and-down waving motion, as if youre patting an imaginary child on the head. The bus is the subject of a wide range of souvenirs in Guatemala, including small items, ceramic sculptures, posters, and more. Guatemalan Chicken Bus One of our crew had a Doors tape and asked the driver to play it. Riding A Chicken Bus from Guatemala City to Antigua - YouTube Taking your own car into Guatemala entails a great deal of bureaucracy. GuateGo On GuateGo, you can check all available transportation options from Guatemala City to Lanqun. . These are buses that were donated to Guatemala by The United States. There is something very characteristic about Central American buses. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. You shouldn't visit Guatemala City without at least one trip in a Chicken bus. The remainder of the journey was also smooth and easy, with a couple of bathroom breaks along the way. Alternatively, they may travel to the outskirts of town, where you must transfer to another tuk-tuk to get to the next town. Many more speak of the long hours, every day of the week, and the struggle to see their families, while others dream of migrating to the very place their buses come from. Youll be issued a car permit (usually valid for thirty days) at the border, and there are hefty penalties if you overstay. My Chicken Bus Adventure from Antigua to Mazatenango, Guatemala (+ Tips A Traveler's Guide to the Chicken Bus in Guatemala If you opt only for tourist shuttles, youll be missing out on one of the countrys most essential experiences. Fares cost US$11.25 an hour. Answer 1 of 4: I'll be travelling down from Coban to Guatemala City tomorrow and need to get the chicken bus from the city to the El Salvadorian border. Brightly colored buildings tumble down the hillside, leading to lovely plazas and squares. While I highly recommend a short trip on one, you're on your own. To discover the timetables per route throughout Guatemala, check their informative website. Theyre slow going, but theyre one of the best ways to meet locals. Copyright 2023 Goats On The Road | GOTR Media LLC. It was a typical border town with many money changers, food vendors, transportation drivers and even a couple of crazy people wandering around. Please see ourPrivacy Pagefor more information. The most common is placing a branch, which indicates the presence of a broken-down car or a hazard ahead. I know, there are Shuttles for 10$ or Taxis for 25$ But I prefer a cheap, local solution like a chicken bus. If you're traveling during peak traffic hours or on holidays, purchasing your ticket in advance is best to ensure a seat on the bus. Then walked down the rails to local chicken buses that would drop you off a block away. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. Get ready for a journey through every country in the world. Do I take one leaving GC, for example, to Antigua? It is a reliable and easy-to-use platform to compare prices & schedules and make a booking online. Its quite possibly the most picturesque place in all of Mexico. Passengers may need to be picked up or dropped off at random points throughout the route. The Colorful Chicken Buses of Guatemala (with Photos) - Touropia The driver's assistant who might have gone to school for three years can remember where every passenger got on, how much they paid, how much change they had coming to them and how many bags they had on the roof. The pubic boats that cover this route will give you a quick glance at the scenery but you cant beat a slow cruise; trips are best organized in Livingston. They just trusted the driver? While few locals wear them, its best to make use of the life jackets provided when you get onto a boat. Guatemala has two classes of bus. Other drivers tell tales of pride: building their own family businesses through the buses, becoming fixtures in the lives of their passengers, or even meeting their spouses while working. For all their flaws, I love traveling by chicken bus, even though theyre cramped, uncomfortable and not the safest way to get around. You can't depend on them for arriving on time (in other words, not the ideal mode of transportation for those on a strict schedule), but they're a fun way to travel and generally safe. You don't want to take a local bus in the city. The weather in Guatemala City stays relatively constant all year, with temperatures ranging between an average of 17C (63F) in January and 21C (70F) in April. If you can organize a group, this need not be an expensive option. Today Guat is an incredibly tranquil place compared to decades past. Reaching Guatemala's spectacular Mayan temples by public transport is easy but slow Kryssia Campos / Getty Images, Getting around Guatemala is travel in vivid color. The minibus picked us up at our hostel at 7:30 am and together with 17 other passengers, we left the city. I will also say that during my last trip there I was finally able to go around the capital and take local transportation- including chicken buses in the capital. Chicken Bus in GC 13 years ago Save I want to experience a ride on a 'chicken bus' in GC. No purchase necessary. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. Most local people get around by chicken bus, so these colorful vehicles offer an authentic taste of Guatemalan life: grandmothers in traditional clothing visiting family in the next village, students going back to university in the big city, city workers traveling back to rural homes for the weekend, mothers with young children on shopping trips. Make use of your rational thinking and instinct to keep yourself secure. We were prepared to go into the immigration office ourselves and stamp out of Mexico (which is standard procedure), however, the driver collected all of our passports and everyones exit fees of 332 MXN ($21.70). Legal Information | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Statement | Request assistance | 2023 KLM. So, we had no choice but to take a bit of a hit and change our money at the border. When it comes to Playa del Carmen restaurants, there are so many choices that it can be a spend some time in the colonial city of San Cristobal, unlike other times when weve changed money at borders. Distraught people were everywhere, and the ambulances had just arrived. He is going to be turned into fajitas in 30 seconds. In Petn, there are a number of possible boat routes, including tours around Lago de Petn Itz from Flores. Motorcycles are available for rent in Antigua and around Lago de Atitln. Getting Around Guatemala: Chicken Buses & Other Transport A few buses hit their routes unadornedstill bright yellow, still carrying the names of the school districts they once served. Thinking of all the things a tourist might do to get themselves in trouble I can only come up with two don't do's. Speed bumps (tmulos) are everywhere, even on main highways. What I would suggest is talk to your hotel about nearby attractions and see if there are any chicken buses that can take you there. You can catch this bus in two places, (1) At their terminal located at "Corner 21 Calle & 1A Avenida" in Zone 1 with the times listed above or (2) 15min later, at the chicken bus terminal in Zone 8 (41 Calle & 5,6,7,8 Avenida). It also makes a complex message on the present status of the socio-economic gap around the globe. *All amounts are in GBP including taxes and surcharges. At 9:30 am, we stopped at a typical tourist-trap restaurant for breakfast, which consisted of a cold buffet for 95 MXN ($6.15). No matter how disgusting the majority of Guatemala chicken buses require a severe engine repair, they are unquestionably a national treasure in Guatemala. Guatemala City. See. In addition, a wide variety of goods are being carried. If youre ever in the region, keep an eye out for an Esmeralda in green and red. I contemplated taking a nice bus from Guatemala City OR take 2 chicken buses (local buses) from Antigua. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. From the bus terminal in Antigua, take the chicken bus to Escuintla, which costs 20 GTQ (2.50 USD) one way. Once there, you will need to stamp out of Mexico and hop on a collectivo taxi (10 MXN/$0.65) to take you through no mans land to the Guatemalan border. Copyright 2023 Apa Digital AG, all rights reserved. Taxis are available in all the main towns, and their rates are fairly low at around US$3 for a short ride (or US$5 in Guatemala City). But they are not the ordinary yellow vehicles that ferry children to school every day. Chicken Buses in Guatemala City: 10 reviews and 25 photos Chicken Bus Guatemala City - Panajachel - Connected Horizons That is reserved for those second class buses that go between towns. But the best time to visit depends on what you want to do. After reading some posts I'm wondering if its ok to ride one in the daytime. Chicken Bus on the Streets of Antigua Esquintla to El Salvador Border (Frontera) We stood facing the intersection, waiting on the south side of Calle 9 and 1a Avenida. It is estimated that its population is about 1 million. color:#47407f}. 295 MXN ($19.15). Travel Bucket List Ideas: Places To Visit Before You Die, Go solo: the 20 best places to travel alone, Budget trips: 20 of the cheapest places to travel, In pictures: traditional dress around the world, Guatemala City: 7 reasons to stay a while, Plan your tailor-made trip with a local expert, Travel stress-free with local assistance and 24/7 support, Getting around Guatemala: Transportation Tips, Travel Tips Guatemala for planning and on the go. These days, the bus TV has hit the scene: On a recent trip I got to watch a solid hour of Spanish-language hair band videos. Road accidents are notorious for being particularly cruel and harsh. When you arrive at the Terminal Sur of Escuintla, take the chicken bus to Sipacate, which leaves every hour. Someone will soon come by selling these essentials, and a few hundred yards later they all get off again to wait for the next bus. I tend to stick with shuttle vans just because they are faster. Here is the schedule: 6:00 - 11:00 - 14.30 - 16.30 - 19.30 - 21.00. In addition to the music, sometimes there are screenings of Spanish films. I'm not talking about a pickpocket on a rush hour bus. Back in the 90s, I used to take the bus down Reforma from the embassy to the plaza. The schedules tend to change depending on the driver's mood, alertness, and, well, willingness to work that day!That being said, there are always plenty of buses for any given destination. Shortly after that, it slowed down and we passed it. I want to experience a ride on a 'chicken bus' in GC.