Getting Around Guatemala

Vans (or shuttles) carry the vast majority of tourists around the country and they are considered the safest way to travel- and the fastest as well unless you use a car.

Assaults on buses and motor vehicles is a persistent problem on Guatemala's roads. Assailants are often armed. In Guatemala City as of mid December 2009 at least 170 drivers have been assassinated by hoodlums-. That number was close to the peak of fatalities.

Pullman buses that run across Guatemala including those with cross border destinations are reasonably secure.

Reports of robberies on the "chicken" buses (former American school buses) including murders of the drivers are not being reported as frequently- Many buses had stopped running but on my last visit operations seemed normal- crowded and belching smoke as usual. Lately (early 2012), the situation has improved. The Army has run "sting operations" on city buses and is breaking up gangs who have been extorting protection money from bus drivers.

It's the TRANSMETRO consisting of articulated buses painted florescent lime green that operate in reserved lanes. This brand new system is safe and patrolled by police and attendants and kept spotlessly clean. It is just the beginning of a much larger system that will take a decade to complete.

Main line operates from the Centro Civico southwesterly along Avenida Bolivar to El Trebol (a California style highway clover leaf intersection) and then down Avenida Batres. Serves Zonas 1, 4, 9, and 13. FARE = ONE QUETZAL

The principle skill required is knowing when and how to pass. Passing other vehicles is a skill you will have to learn very quickly. Passing is an essential skill - it is not optional- you will be expected to pass slow moving vehicles in front of you- particularly in the mountains where cargo trucks grind forward at glacial velocity. In the coastal areas the sugar harvest fills the roads with barely moving trucks. Leave the driving to the van drivers if at all possible.

Bus and truck drivers do not pass on curves. But other drivers do. A car passing you on a curve expects that you will leave enough space for him to pull into if necessary.

An oncoming car (headed towards you in your lane) will flash his lights if he needs more room. Flashing headlights tells oncoming vehicles to slow down to give the oncoming vehicle room to pull back in.

The driver of a slow moving vehicle in front of you will sometimes signal you with an arm wave that it is clear ahead to pass- but it could mean something else or nothing at all-

Turn signals are not used.

And yes, lots of drivers use their car as a mobile phone booth.

Prensa Libre, Guatemala's most important daily newspaper, displays a link to download PDF maps of each of Guatemala's provinces. Each map is 10.5 by 12.5 inches (and about 3 megabytes) and is an accurate update of the highway and river systems with information useful for deciding what to see and do. If you download these to a penlike portable USB drive (aka flash drive) before you leave on your trip you'll be able to use any computer with a USB port to display your maps.

The electronic maps show some roads and settlements that don't make it onto the tourist maps- Check them out if you are interested in exploring remote areas. Territory bordering MEXICO is best avoided.

The maps you get free from INGUAT's are new also. They've corrected many of the inaccuracies found in the older editions.

COPY AND PASTE THIS LINK INTO YOUR BROWSER: http://servicios.prensalibre.com/pl/especial/mapas/

GANGS ARE TARGETING CITY BUSES. RIDING CITY BUSES IS NOT ADVISED.

Use of the 83 is not necessary (I recommend taxis) but is an alternative way to get from the airport (Zona 13) to downtown (Zona 1) through (Zonas 9, 10).

Bus 83 will get you to/from the airport (Zona 13), the museums and zoo (Zona 10), government offices (Zona 4) and the central business district and National Palace (Zona 1). NOTE: The 2nd class bus terminal in Zona 4 is closed. It has moved to "El Trebol" a major cloverleaf interchange in Zona 8. A cab or the TransMetro (see below) will take you there. Of course, the tourist vans that leave from many hotels and travel agencies are your best bet for getting to Antigua, Panajachel, Copan, etc etc

Not all 83 buses follow the same route. Look for a sign saying "Aeropuerto" or "Aurora" in the window and confirm with the driver.

Bus fare is nominal and exact fare is not necessary. You can board at the front of the bus or the side door. NOTE:

Make sure your valuables are secure (and not tucked into a back pocket!!!). If you are standing you will be very busy holding on to rails and seat bars to keep your balance and if the bus is crowded.... (note however, that pickpockets are far less skilled than those in Mexico City and many European cities). Be on guard against distractions causing you to NOT PAY ATTENTION.

NOTE Getting on buses to see where they go is not always a good idea. Some neighborhoods "colonias" are unsafe because of gangs. You may also get to the end of the line and find the bus isn't leaving for half an hour or more. If you want to explore- hire a cab.

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Water taxis are the best way to get around and in some cases the only means to visit some of the villages on Atitlan as hiking between villages is not recommended due to petty crime/muggings. Don't feel like a sell out here as the boats are often the primary means of transport for the locals.

Boats like shared vans cost a buck or two depending on where you are going and leave when they have 12 people or every 30 min depending on the dest.

Atitlan is not a small lake and at times can get choppy so be prepared to get wet if you sit up front at times (the skippers will often throw you a plastic sheet to cover with so you don't get wet and the mid part of the boat has vinyl covers that can be pulled down to keep the inside of the boat dry.

From San Pedro to Panajachel it is about a 40 min ride non stop. Others act like stop trains and make multiple so check prior to boarding if you are in a rush.

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Tuk Tuks are here. as they are in the rest of the world there is no shortage here. Although riding around in one in the village of San Pedro I thought I was going to have to jump out and push it up one of the roads as these tend to be better suited for flat metropolitan areas.

The one positive note is that they have been banned from the historic center of Antigua ; )

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GUA (La Aurora) is Guatemala's main international airport located in District 13 of Guatemala City. From Europe it is served N/S from Madrid on Iberia and from the US on American, Delta and United(Continental), and Spirit...American probably has the most flights but both Delta and Taca serve LAX which is roughly a 4 hour flight. Copa serves Panama City, Managua and connects to points further south. There are a handful of other airlines serving the city...check the skeds for more info. The airport is modern with jet-ways so you don't get wet getting off the plane when it is raining.
Customs and Immigration is surprisingly quick. Public transport options are a bit on the limited side. Share vans and taxi tend to be the primary methods of getting two from the airport. There is an ATM on the arrivals level of the airport along with an exchange....most Guatemalans in the city and in Antigua will take USD. A shared van to Antigua will cost approx 10 USD. If you can avoid it try and change money outside of the airport or at the bank in the airport parking structure for better exchange rates. There is a 20Q security fee you have to pay when leaving the airport and must be paid prior to entering the gate area. When you buy your ticket ask if the 30 USD departure tax is also included..if not be prepared to pay prior to leaving. For international flights plan to be at the airport at least 2 hours prior to departure. I had a 07:30 departure so had to catch a 4 am van from Antigua to make the flight.

Flores is the other airport in Guatemala with service to Cancun, Guatemala city and a few other locations