Long Distance

Collectivos, or shuttles, and overnight charter busses (that use way too much AC) connect the capital with the rest of the country, and prices are quite expensive compared to the rest of Latin America. Sometimes the same trip was double the cost of what the 2013 Lonely Planet reports. A major transfer hub is David, a dusty town located halfway between San Jose, Costa Rica and Panama City.

David to Panama City on a double decker was 15USD, 7-8 hours. The overnight price is a couple dollars more. The overnight to Bocas del Toro (use the Almirante stop) from Panama City was 27.50USD, 10-11 hours, last one leaves at 8pm.

Though they aren’t as flaming as the Guatemalan equivalents, chicken busses are cheaper but stop much more frequently. You might hear them be referred to as diablos rojos, or red devils. I took a rather undecorated one from Boquete back to David, a two-hour ride, last one leaves at 7pm. If you’re really adventurous and have no time limits, I’m sure you could rely on only on these and end up in Guatemala, where these vehicles first appear.

Connecting to Costa Rica is all too easy and can be done numerous ways. I’m most familiar with the popular Bocas del Toro to Puerto Viejo bus link. I also had roommates fly from Bocas to San Jose. In fact, many backpackers never see more than Bocas and the capital before moving on to Panama’s northern neighbor.

It’s more of a hassle to reach Colombia since the Darien Gap at the border is such a dense jungle. Options include flying, boating through the San Blas Islands to Cartagena, or flying to Puerto Obaldía and boating into Capurganá, Colombia.

 

Short Distance

Taxis are everywhere. Right outside Tocumen International Airport are enormous vans that serve as shared taxis, and I felt safe using one after sunset. The ride should total no more than 30USD per party. In daylight I would absolutely take the Metro public bus from the airport into the city for under a dollar.

An underground subway actually exists in Panama City. A Tarjeta de Metro will get you access, which includes the affiliated (and clean!) city busses that connect all neighborhoods. The main transfer terminal is Albrook station. You’ll have to purchase the card 2USD at a Metro station via machine, where instructions are available in English, and refill your balance accordingly. 2USD for one day was plenty for me. They do ask to see a card when boarding overnight Metro shuttles from Albrook, and give you the option to buy one on the spot, but the Americans in line behind me were irritated and got let through without one. Otherwise, ask a local to swipe for you and pay them back in coins. A single card is good for two people and each ride is .2-1USD depending on the distance.