BUS DIRECTIONS: 

From Panama City, make your way to The Albrook Bus Terminal

After arrival at Tocumen Int’l Airport we recommend you take a 30 min Uber or taxi (approx. $20 USD) to the Albrook Bus Terminal, and then follow the directions below. 

Alternatively, you can utilize public transportation to get to Albrook Bus Terminal, which is significantly less costly, but admittedly much more complicated. Scroll to the bottom of this page for those details.

Once you have arrived at the Albrook Terminal, you can get to Santa Catalina via Santiago, or Sona:

Via Sona:

At Albrook Bus Terminal take one of the five daily buses on the Transporte San Isidrio bus line departing to Soná. 

The current schedule has departures from Albrook to Soná at the following times: 

6:45 am, 8:20am, 10:20am, 12:45pm, 2:20pm and 4:20pm

Via Santiago/Sona:

At Albrook Bus Terminal you can also take a direct bus to Santiago. Schedules are more frequent all day and night. (All bus services going to David will stop in Santiago.) In Santiago, take a $2 taxi to the local bus terminal, and catch the bus to Soná (offered every 30 minutes with the last bus leaving at 6pm).

From Soná: 

Take one of the five daily buses departing to Santa Catalina (Duration 1.5 hours).

From Soná to Santa Catalina ~ 5:15am, 11:00am, 1:15pm and 4:00pm

From Santa Catalina back to Soná ~ 7:00am, 8:00am (not Sundays), 1:15pm (not Sundays), 3:00pm

You can also take a taxi from Soná to Catalina’s Hideaway for approximately $40.00 (USD).

You can request to the bus driver that you be dropped at the Catalina’s Hideaway/LAGO BAY sign on the main road, we are just after Farfan and before the town of Hicaco. Please advise us of your travel plans and timing and we will arrange to have you picked up on the main road. 

 

Public Transportation to Albrook Bus Terminal in Panama City (Good luck!)

  • First, exit the airport and head to the right.

  • Enter the hallway next to the restaurant (there are no signs in this area, keep going down the curved pathway to outside).

  • Cross the street to get to the bus stop with busses heading back to Panama City.

  • Get on the Tocumen-Corredor Sur bus*. There are no Metro Bus cards sold at the airport. You will need to kindly ask someone if you can pay them to swipe you through with their card (it’s a $1.25 fare, but if you don’t have change, $2 will suffice). 

  • Ride the bus to Albrook Bus Terminal. 

*Wait for the Tocumen-Corredor Sur bus, as the Via Espana bus will take forever. 

*Alternatively, you can get on to one of the large white buses that say Tocumen on them, and these accept cash.