Getting from the airport to Panama City

I land at Tocumen International Airport (PTY) early in the afternoon. This is the main airport serving Panama City, as well as the country’s major airport. It is located 24 kilometers northwest of the city. Which means getting from the airport to Panama City forces travelers to look for transport. In the near future, there are plans to connect the airport with the city by a metro line. Line no. 2 is supposed to be extended. As of mid-2023, these are still plans. However, this does not mean there is nothing else to choose from.

Let me just mention that normally I don’t usually use the first three options. I also didn’t use them in Panama.

Getting from the airport to Panama City – I didn’t choose these options:

1. Taxi: For many, this is the simplest and most direct way to get to the city. After all, Panama City is a tax haven. And every decent businessman orders a taxi. Like everywhere else, taxis are available at the Panama’s airport 24/7. The cost of the trip to the city center is about $30-40. If you decide on this option, be careful of taxi drivers who will definitely want to overcharge you. Set the fare before getting in the taxi. Alternatively, get in a taxi at stop s480 (info below), splitting the cost with other travelers waiting for the bus.

2. Private transfers: Many hotels in Panama City offer private transfers from the airport for an additional fee, and when you sleep in a 5-star hotel, transport may even be free. If you prefer a direct ride to the hotel without having to negotiate prices with taxi drivers, this option may be for you.

3. Car rentals: Various international car rental companies (mainly American) operate at the airport. If you prefer to get around on your own, or if you arrived in a larger group, this is basically a pretty good option. Definitely, traffic in Panama City is chaotic, and parking is difficult, but you’ll easily get used to it. Basically, in all of Latin America, in large cities, it’s the same. At first it’s culture shock, and then everything starts to function well. Outside the big cities, it is much calmer. As for rental prices, they change dynamically. Especially now, as the market is trying to return to balance after the pandemic. You have to account for an expenditure from $25 for the smallest car to amounts many times larger for one day of car rental.

Now we come to my favorite options.

I also chose these in Panama:

4. Public buses:

When heading towards Panama City, I choose the bus. This is definitely the cheapest option, but it can be a bit complicated for people unfamiliar with the local transportation system. Anyway, I always choose public transport whenever possible. This option forces me to do a bit of planning. To use the bus, I first have to buy a MetroBus card at the airport. The cost of the entire transaction is $5. Part of this is payment for the card and the rest remains at your disposal. The purchase is not difficult because the airport is not huge and you can see a small booth in the terminal with a MetroBus sign from afar.

Then, exiting the terminal (it doesn’t matter which one), I go right following the arrows leading to the roundabout with stops (see the map). To the center, bus s480 goes. The stop is on the other side of the roundabout. I marked it with number 1. The ticket costs $1.25. We have $2 charged on the card so we will get to the center without any problem. And additionally, we will have left for 3 or 4 city rides.

Here is one note and a small tip. The s480 bus is always full, so if you see that there are a lot of people at the stop, there is a high chance that the bus will not stop. Then it’s worth going to the stop earlier (earlier for the bus, further from the airport). About 400 meters after the turn. I marked it on the map with number 2. There are no passengers there and the bus always stops. Buses to the city leave about every 30 minutes.

Getting from the airport to Panama City. Bus stops close to the airport

Getting from Tocumen Airport to the Centre of Panama City – Uber

5. Uber: The Uber service is perfectly available in Panama City and is an excellent alternative to taxis. The cost of an Uber ride to the center of Panama City is not high. Mainly because buses are incredibly cheap (a few cents), and this also affects the low price of Uber ($15-20). At dawn, going back to the airport, I paid $16 for an Uber from the center of the city.

Tax haven Panama City awaits you.

If you have time read: Travel to Colombia? God Forbid!