If you are backpacking in Guatemala, you are more than likely to travel between Lake Atitlan and Antigua at some point on your trip. These are two of the most popular destinations in Guatemala. I encourage you to take the chicken bus from Lake Atitlan to Antigua for a true local experience. This advice also works in reverse when travelling from Antigua to Lake Atitlan.
There are a few different transportation options you can take from Lake Atitlan to Antigua and I highly recommend taking the most adventurous chicken bus option.
Chicken buses are old US Schools buses and used all across Latin America. These buses are painted in bright vibrant colours and fitted out with more lights and speakers than your local nightclub! Riding them is a real experience not to be missed!
For me, travelling is about the experience, about the journey, about living outside of your comfort zone. In reality, you could travel around the whole of Central America using more expensive tourist shuttle buses, but where is the fun and adventure in that!
Used by the locals, the chicken buses are very cheap and affordable. Some of the drivers like to race around in these old buses but I never felt unsafe. In fact it added to the fun of the ride!
First Chicken Bus Experience
Once I had made my first journey on chicken buses, they were always my first option for the remainder of my trip.
I travelled Central America for 6 months and the journey from Atitlan to Antigua was the first of many chicken bus adventures. I must admit I was a little nervous beforehand. I’d heard so many negative stories about getting robbed, or lost, or delayed in these local buses.
In truth, the experience I had couldn’t have been further from the truth.
Regardless of the stories, I took this journey with a friend I had met at Spanish school. Together we had the confidence to do it. Even though our Spanish was still very basic it turned out very easy to navigate the 4 buses (3 changes) required on this journey.
Without further ado let’s get to the Lake Atitlan to Antigua route you need to take. This obviously works in reverse if you are travelling Antigua to lake Atitlan, it’s the same route.
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Chicken Bus Route - Lake Atitlan to Antigua, Guatemala
- Panajachel
- Salolá
- Los Encuentros
- Chilmaltenango
- Antigua
Step-By-Step Guide
This route involves 4 buses in total and 3 changes. Total cost is Q38.50 (2022) and takes about 3.5 hours.
Step 1: Panajachel to Salolá
- Cost Q5; Time 25 minutes
Wherever you are staying in Lake Atitlan you will need to firstly go to Panajachel (Pana) to start the journey. The easiest way to do this is to take a Lancha (small boat) to Pana from wherever you are on the lake. This journey should cost you no more than Q25 depending how far away you are.
You need to go to the Rebuli Bus stop found on the main road in the north-west of Pana town. I would always try to leave as early as possible on travel days in case of delays. I’m not sure there is a proper timetable for chicken buses but they are normally quite frequent.
Unfortunately, hostels don’t usually help as they want you to take their shuttle buses. You can try asking locals if your Spanish is ok. We caught the bus at 10.25am.
Step 2: Salolá to Los Encuentros
- Cost Q3.5; Time 40 minutes
When you use chicken buses its always easy to find the right bus that you need. As soon as you get off the bus there will be guys asking where you are going. You can usually say your final destination such as Antigua or if you know the route, the next stop, which is Encuentros.
The buses want your business so they will usher you to the correct bus. It can seem a bit panicked and rushed but don’t worry, they are genuine. They just don’t like to waste time. You can always double check you are on the right bus by asking the driver.
We had to wait only 10 minutes for the 2nd bus to leave. They shout out ‘Cuentros’ for this bus in case you need to know.
Step 3: Los Encuentros to Chilmaltenango
- Cost Q20; Time 70 minutes
The change of buses was again seamless as soon as you exit the bus there is guys ushering you to the next one. We only had to wait 5 minutes for this bus to leave. They shout out ‘Chimal’ for this bus.
Step 4: Chilmaltenango to Antigua
- Cost Q10; Time 50 minutes
The final part of the journey from Lake Atitlan to Antigua was easy again. We had to wait another 5 minutes for the bus to leave and we arrived in Antigua at 1.50pm in the main bus terminal.
Summary: Chicken Bus from Lake Atitlan to Antigua
In summary the total cost of the journey was Q38.50 ($5 USD, £4 GBP) and total time taken was 3 hours 25 minutes. On most of the buses my friend and I had two seats each to ourselves as the buses were never totally packed.
There was no aircon but the windows are open so there is always a breeze and I was never too hot. Also, there are often people coming on the buses selling various food and drink so don’t worry if you forgot to buy some snacks before you started your journey.
How to stay safe on Chicken Buses
Whenever I travel anywhere, I am always conscious of being safe and careful. I travelled many times on local buses and never had any problems. Most people you meet are genuine and honest. That being said, there is always some basic precautions you can take to protect yourself.
1. Always keep your valuables in a bag in your possession at all times, such as a small backpack or handbag. I kept my phone, wallet, and camera with me at all times, even when we got off the bus to stop for lunch or toilet breaks.
2. I had a pair of ‘travel day shorts’. These shorts had zipped pockets which I highly advise. I always felt safer when my wallet and phone was zipped away, especially if I ever had to stand on a packed bus.
3. Your larger/main backpack may not always be with you on the local buses. Sometimes it may be put at the back of the bus (inside), sometimes on the roof, and sometimes under the carriage in the storage.
Make sure you have a padlock on your bag and don’t leave anything valuable in it. I did have spare credit cards in my large backpack, but they were well hidden within the middle of the bag. When the bus is stopping always try to have an eye on your bag if you can to make sure no one accidently walks off with it.
I travelled in Central America for 6 months through 5 different countries and I never encountered anyone who had any problems. Therefore, I highly recommend you give it a try.
Shuttle Bus from Lake Atitlan to Antigua
There are many tour companies in every village in Lake Atitlan that can arrange a shuttle to Antigua. As a result, I recommend shopping around to negotiate the best price. They will take a lot longer if they don’t start in Panajachel so it’s best to start your trip from there.
The price will be about Q150 ($20) so a lot more expensive than the chicken bus option. It will be quicker, about 2.5 to 3 hours once everyone is picked up. Often these shuttle buses are ram packed too and the aircon doesn’t work. Ask these questions when you make the reservation.
Uber Guatemala - Private Transfer
Uber is available in Guatemala and it could be an option. You may struggle to find availability though so a local taxi may be a better option. A taxi will cost in the region of Q500 so by far the most expensive option as expected.
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Thanks for sharing! I took the same road today, the prices are the same as well. Suuuper easy