Adventures in Transportation: Central America

When I was planning my trips around Guatemala and Nicaragua, I didn’t know just how different the transportation was. Everything moves a bit slower, never really on schedule. But if you have a sense of adventure, be sure to take the bus. I didn’t include driving around Central America, but it is possible, especially popular with motorcyclists. Within destinations, you will find taxis and tuk tuks to get around, as well as some with public transportation.

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Planes

Flights to Central America are the most expensive form of transportation, but it is possible to do it cheaply, especially if you’re based in the east coast of the United States. American budget airlines like JetBlue and Spirit serve the region, including Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Panama, and the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico. I find the best deals through Scott’s Cheap Flights.

Most flights will go through big cities like Guatemala City, Managua, and San Jose. Regional airlines also service Central America, including Aeromexico and Copa Airlines, which are part of the Sky Team and Star Alliance airline partnerships.

Trains

Rail service doesn’t really exist in Central America apart from a short passenger train in Panama from the capital to the area around the canal. Panama Rail is a one-hour route that runs on weekdays.

Buses

If you plan on traveling around Central America, there’s no doubt that you’ll be taking buses. They’re the most common form of transportation, traversing great distances for a very low cost. It’s especially popular with backpackers. But be prepared for everything to take longer than advertised.

Every bus I took was an hour or two longer than anticipated, especially once when we had a flat tire. There are multiple types of bus, like in Southeast Asia, ranging from the bare bones chicken buses to the tourist-friendly, air-conditioned VIP buses.

I mostly took backpacker shuttles in minibuses, which picked up at hotels and hostels and dropped in a central place in the next town. They weren’t overly comfortable for long distances, like 12 hours or longer, so keep that in mind before booking. Chicken buses don’t require pre-booking but are recommended for the tourist buses. You can book at a travel agent or get your accommodations to call ahead.

Ferries

Some areas also are accessible by ferry, like Ometepe in Nicaragua, the coast of Costa Rica, and to the cayes of Belize. The styles vary with some being large enough to carry cars. On Ometepe, travel agents strongly urge you to purchase packages with tickets and accommodations, but this isn’t necessary. For the most part, you can purchase the ferry ticket right before boarding.

There are also smaller boats in places like Lake Atitlan that shuttle you from one town to the next. They don’t have much room inside, so don’t bring a bag much larger than a backpack. You’ll likely be responsible for putting your luggage on and off, so if you can’t lift it, you’ve packed too much.