The Albrook bus terminal — an enormous megapolis of bus companies, public transportation, restaurants, taxis and a shopping mall! Daunting at first, especially if arriving at 4 am from the Costa Rican countryside. Nonetheless, if you keep your bearings, Panama City’s transportation is incredibly comprehensive and you can hopefully avoid overpriced taxis.

TOCUMEN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

From anywhere you are in town, you shouldn’t have any trouble hopping on a bus with the Albrook destination for no more than $.25usd. (Keep in mind if it is one of the newer white-colored buses, you need a transport card to swipe. If you don’t have one, just ask someone to swipe you through and pass them your quarter. Works every time.) Once in Albrook, you’ll want the Corridor Sur – Tocumen bus. You’ll need the transport card for this too, so either wait in line to buy one at the kiosks inside the terminal and put the $1.25usd balance on it to get you to the airport — or talk to someone at the platform and see if they’ll swipe you through and you’ll give them the cash. The ride is about an hour depending on traffic — keep in mind rush hour can be 2 hours! The bus will drop you outside the airport and it is about a 400-meter walk into the terminal. This public transportation option that should run under $2usd is an exceptional alternative to the $30usd and up cost of a taxi from the airport.