Getting to and from Tocumen

[COUNTRY EXPERT – LINDA CARD]

Here’s some more Insider info about getting around from International Living Panama Editor, Jessica Ramesch.

If you’re traveling to Panama in the near future, you won’t be able to take the Metro de Panama into town from the airport just yet. But it’s still a pretty easy trip into Panama City center.

As you exit the airport you’ll see a helper directing people waiting in line to the next available “tourism taxi.” These are white vehicles with permission for airport pick-ups. (Yellow cabs operate all over Panama and can come to Tocumen International for drop-offs only.)

Let the helper know where you’re going and he will confirm the fare before you get in the cab, usually $25 to $30 total for up to two people, cash only. If you want to spend less and are traveling light, you can walk out to the Metro Bus stop a few yards beyond the airport parking lot. Here’s the catch: You need a fare card for public transportation in Panama, and the cards aren’t sold at Tocumen…yet.

The solution? Just hop on and offer any passenger a couple bucks to swipe their card for you. It’ll get you where you need to go and you’ll start off your Panama visit by interacting with the locals!

Now I confess, I like a certain added level of comfort. A car that looks cared for, air conditioning, a nice driver to talk to, clear rates, automated receipts, and GPS tracking. So ever since Uber started operating in Panama, I have said goodbye to cabs. I have the app on my phone along with the app of a local competitor called Tuchofer, which I also use. (The latter allows you to reserve a day ahead.)

There is free WiFi in Tocumen Airport, so when I disembark I use my smartphone to request a driver. The fare is about $35 no matter where in the city center I go, and the app charges my credit card so I don’t have to fumble with cash like I used to. As in many countries, services like Uber operate in a legal gray area and aren’t vetted by the government, so caveat emptor.

If you do take a yellow taxi in Panama, just remember they don’t have meters (I’m told this will be a requirement in the future, but no date yet). So just ask the fare before getting in, particularly in Panama City.

[William Bentley]

Thanks for the tip about asking a local to swipe their busfare card in return for a couple of bucks, Jessica! Great idea! That’s S30+ saved toward food or accommodation! Also want to practise my Spanish , so even better! Muchas gracias! Hope to meet you and other expats while I’m in Panama in June! Hasta la vista! Bill

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