Page 77 - The Rough Guide to Panama (Travel Guide)

INFORMATION Panama City 75
Fares and passes Travelling by bus is the cheapest way to BY TAXI 1
get about, costing a mere 25–35¢ for any trip within the Taxis are plentiful – around 28,000 in the city at the last
metropolitan boundary (except the buses that use count – and relatively cheap.
Corredores – express toll roads – which cost $1.25). On the Fares Taxis are supposed to follow an overcomplicated
diablos rojos you pay 25¢ cash on exit. Metrobus journeys zonal pricing schedule (see Wtransito.gob.pa) set by the
cost 35¢; for these you need a prepaid Metro or RapiPass transport authorities, but in practice the price is often down
swipe card (tarjeta magnética; $2, plus the credit you want to supply and demand, your negotiating skills in Spanish
to load onto it). Metro cards are available at supermarkets and whether they want to take you. For most destinations in
(such as El Rey on Vía España and El Machetazo on Av the city you shouldn’t pay more than $3–4 during normal
Central), Albrook bus terminal, metro stations and a kiosk working hours, the exception being to Panamá Viejo or the
on Plaza Cinco de Mayo; the RapiPass can only be bought in Amador Causeway, where prices may be inflated (usually to
Albrook bus terminal (see p.73). a minimum of $5) because the driver is concerned about
Routes The city’s main arteries and bus routes run vaguely finding a passenger for the return trip – that said, the arrival
southwest to northeast along Av Balboa and the Cinta of Uber in the capital has curbed to some extent the
Costera, Av Central (which becomes Av España) and Av tendency to overcharge tourists. If you’re unsure, ask around
Justo Arosemena (Av 3 Sur). All buses circulate every few for the current rates beforehand and agree a price before
minutes on the busiest routes, from 5.30/6am until 11pm/ getting in. Note that the more comfortable a/c tourist taxis
midnight; less frequently on Sun. hovering outside the mid­ to high­end hotels, recognizable
Getting to Casco Viejo Buses don’t run into Panama by the SET licence plates, charge much higher rates.
City’s historical centre, Casco Viejo; you’ll need to catch a Tours Taxi drivers often serve as chauffeurs and unofficial
bus that passes Plaza Cinco de Mayo, then walk up the city tour guides; you may be charged anything between
pedestrianized section of Av Central. Alternatively, take $12–15/hr.
a bus that goes to the Cinta Costera; get off at the first
stop and walk back along the bay, past the Mercado de BY BIKE
Mariscos. You would need to have a death wish to cycle in most of
Hop-on-hop-off sightseeing bus The red city sight­ Panama City. The exceptions are along the Cinta Costera
seeing double­decker bus (Wcitytourspanama.com; and the Amador Causeway, where the cycleways and the
one­day pass $33, two­day pass $35) is a disappointment general lack of traffic and fumes make for a pleasant ride.
in terms of giving an informative overview of the city’s There is even a popular Ciclovía (cycling festival) every Sun
main attractions, thanks to a limited route and often morning (see box, p.66).
unintelligible commentary. However, it can be a cost­ Bike rental and repairs GetOneBike, C 30 Este just off Av
efficient way for solo travellers wanting to visit the Balboa (Mon–Sat 10am–7pm; T395 2224, Wgetonebike
Miraflores Locks, Casco Viejo, the Biodiversity Museum and .com) rents a range of high­quality cycles from $10/day for a
Amador Causeway in a short space of time. single­speed bike to $40/weekend or $70/week for a multi­
geared mountain bike; helmet and lock are included. It also
BY METRO offers bike repairs and bike tours of the city. Bicicletas Moses,
Route Panama City’s new metro system – Central by Las Pencas on the Amador Causeway (Mon–Fri noon–
America’s first – currently has just one line, with twelve 8pm, Sat & Sun 8am–8pm; T211 3671), rents bikes by the
stations, though a second line is planned. It runs from the hour ($3.50/hr), plus tandems and pedal buggies for two or
Albrook bus terminal via Plaza Cinco de Mayo and four ($12–18/hr). Rates vary according to demand, so check
northwards towards El Cangrejo and beyond, as far as the in advance. You will need to present ID at both places.
districts of Los Andes and San Isidro.
Fares At the time of writing metro fares had yet to be BY CAR
determined. To pay you will need a rechargeable metro or Although rental cars are available at both airports and
RapiPass swipe card (tarjeta magnética; $2); they’re sold at along Vía España near El Cangrejo, the city’s cheap and
the stations, Albrook bus terminal, supermarkets and a plentiful buses and taxis mean there is no need to rent a car
kiosk on Plaza Cinco de Mayo. until you’re ready to leave. Besides, the free­for­all attitude
of many drivers makes driving a stressful experience.
inFORmatiOn
Tourist information The main office of the Autoridad de and tour operators are much better sources of information.
Turismo Panamá (ATP) is behind the ATLAPA Convention Centre Maps Free city maps of variable quality abound, generally
on Vía Israel in San Francisco, but it is not set up to deal with marked with whichever hotels, restaurants and tourist
tourists. The hostels and some of the more upmarket hotels services have bought ad space.

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