Public Transportation in Panama City, Panama.

Public transportations that are available in Panama City are the Metro, (Metro)Bus, and Uber.

From the second quarter of 2014, Panama has a fabulous 18-kilometer Metro, which has been extended over the years and still is in construction (click to see a video). The air-conditioned Metro Buses were first introduced in early 2012 as a replacement for the “Diablo Rojos”.

What you need to know before taking the bus

You have to plan ahead before taking the bus. You need to buy a Metro Bus card sold at various kiosks in malls and plazas, pharmacies, and supermarkets. Your best chance to find them will be at the “Centros de Atencion”, click here to see where those are located. When you buy the metro bus card, you can charge it right away to start traveling by bus. Take in mind that without this card you will not be able to take the bus. The metro bus drivers will not accept any other payment method but the metro bus card.

The bus routes

If you want to get insights into the bus routes, then you may refer to this website to plan your trip. The website is part of the Metro Bus cooperation. It would be good on the first hand to ask your travel agent or hotel facility which line to take to reach your destination. On the main streets of Panama, you will find orange signs that say “Metro Bus” which are the bus stops. When you want to enter the bus, make sure you raise your hand so the bus driver stops for you at the bus stop.

The costs of a bus ride

A bus ride in Panama City will cost you in most cases $0.25, regardless of the distance, you travel. The only buses that will charge you more are the ones that say in front “Corredor Norte” or “Corredor Sur”, which are the lines that take a toll road. Tip: Almost all the Metro busses stop at Albrook. So if you want to visit Albrook Mall you may take any bus line. It is recommended always to ask the bus driver or another passenger if the bus is going to your desired destination. While most of the people do not speak English very well, they are very friendly and willing to understand and help you where possible.

Uber

Uber is widely used inside Panama City and in the Panama-west province. It is a safe way to get you from a to b. In order to use Uber you will need to have internet. Simply use the Uber App to order a ride. Select your current location and where you would like to travel to. It will give you an indication of the cost before you confirm your order. Note that the cost might increase due to high traffic. Getting an Uber at night might be more difficult in highly crowded areas such as Casco Viejo due to the high demand.