Guatemala, adjacent to Mexico, is a fairly representative country of Central America with its highlands, mountains, still active volcanoes, jungles, Mayan cities sometimes a little lost, Caribbean and Pacific coasts, colorful markets and local traditions. alive. It is logical then that the country attracts people, although it is true that we will meet fewer tourists there than in Costa Rica or in some corners of neighboring Mexico.
The fact remains that in order to visit a place well, you must first get around it well. Let’s go back to these few useful tidbits to know when traveling in Guatemala.
Roads and traffic
If in Guatemala the main road network between the big cities is not too bad, although often quite congested, this is less true of the secondary roads, which mostly require careful driving. In addition, during the rainy season, some roads may be cut off after floods or landslides.
Otherwise, as in many countries, the law of the road remains largely uncertain for most drivers and signage is minimal to say the least. Outside of urban areas, it is better to avoid driving at night.
Borrow a car
It is quite possible to rent a car in Guatemala. Expect starting prices around $50/day, knowing that if the driver is under 25 years of age, it will often be necessary to provide mandatory additional insurance.
On a practical level, 4×4 is hardly useful unless you plan to hit the track.
In any case, from the point of view of safety, it is strongly recommended to avoid driving at night and it is necessary to use guarded parking lots.
As for crossing borders with a rented vehicle, very few rental companies allow this, and in this case it is better to request a written confirmation from the agency that allows it.
However, it remains that a rental is not necessarily ideal and by no means mandatory for exploring the country. Local transport really isn’t expensive, travel agency or hotel vehicles for certain tours are also mostly affordable and depending on your needs, it’s always possible to hire a taxi for the day for an often lower total cost. And thus we will avoid all the problems on the road and driving…
Buses
As in many countries, there are two categories of buses: “basic” which are by far the most economical but slow, and “express” buses or similar which offer better service for a little more money. Both are moving or leaving in the morning.
Chicken buses
These are recycled American school buses with mechanics or condition to match and used by residents as local buses for short distances.
As in other countries of the region, they are the most economical way to travel. But in addition to the price, they primarily enable an “original” experience and a guarantee of meeting people.
That said, you should still keep in mind that these buses have no specific schedule and often only leave when they are full enough to make the trip profitable. There are almost no direct connections from city to city. Generally, the first bus will take you to a major intersection, for example, where you have to wait for the next bus the rest of the way.
“First Class”
Less folkloric than chicken, these “classic” buses are about two to three times more expensive than the others, but also significantly more comfortable and faster, which makes them interesting for travelers. They connect major cities, rather long distances, with few companies present.
“Space Shuttles”
…or “agency vehicles”. To compensate for the shortcomings of public transport and, above all, to develop a relatively profitable activity, many agencies and other professionals in the field of tourism provide minibuses for passengers traveling between tourist sites. There are many in Antigua, Chichi (on market days), Panajachel and even at the international airport.
These shuttles offer convenient transportation in line with tourist expectations (very few locals use them) with customized timetables and often hotel pick-ups, fast and non-stop from point to point. They can be booked through any agency, even a hotel, or up if there is room. Several companies/agencies can be seen on site.
Their prices are fixed and roughly 3 to 4 times more expensive than local buses; the shortest or most popular routes are proportionately – and logically – the most expensive.
In short, these shuttles can be interesting for their fast and convenient journeys, if you are not necessarily looking for the “cheapest possible” in terms of transportation (but still remains affordable). Pretty good, occasionally when you have miles to travel. On the other hand, it is true that this means also allows people to travel in a bubble completely cut off from the local population.
Ship
An original transport that can sometimes have a touch of “adventure”.
So there are options for traveling by water in Guatemala. Whether it’s a cruise on Lake Atitlan, access to the city of Livingston (and Belize) from Puerto Barrios, a cruise on the Rio Dulce or even a crossing to Mexico from Peten. All through regular services, agencies or ships (” lancha« ) lend for this occasion.
Domestic flights
The country is not very big and there is only one domestic connection between Guatemala City and Flores, which can also prove interesting and save time traveling to Tikal from the capital region.
Also for your information, there are no train lines in Guatemala.
So, what to choose?
For most passengers, the bus remains the best means of transport, especially if you choose the “Express” or “Shuttle” designed for tourists. The network is really well developed, reliable and economical, although for a few people renting a car also does not cost too much and can be considered a little more freedom, although driving in Guatemala is not always easy both in terms of the road network as well as the rules of the road. .
> More information: inguat.gob.gt