Shuttle from Panama City to Santa Catalina
✓ Secure your seat with a $10 deposit per person — the rest is paid in cash to your driver
Departures & pickup
- Departure time: 9:30 AM (arrives around 3:30 PM) and 2:00 PM (arrives around 8:30 PM) from Panama City.
- Pickup: Casco Antiguo (Casco Viejo), Panama City’s historic old town — we confirm the exact meeting spot and time by WhatsApp the day before.
- Drop-off: your hotel or hostel in Santa Catalina.
- Includes: air-conditioned van, room for regular luggage, and a rest stop on the way.
About this route
This is the classic gateway run to Panama’s Pacific surf-and-islands coast — and the route travellers ask us about most. There is no direct public bus from Panama City to Santa Catalina: doing it on your own means changing in Santiago and again in Soná, hauling bags between terminals with uncertain connections. The shuttle does it in one seat.
The drive heads west on the Pan-American Highway across the plains of Coclé and Veraguas, with a rest stop near Santiago. From Soná the road narrows into cattle country and ends where the pavement meets the sea: Santa Catalina, a fishing village with one main street, a world-class point break, and the boats that leave for Coiba National Park every morning.
Most travellers book this leg to connect an arrival in the capital with a Coiba tour the next day — if that is your plan, tell us your dates and we can line up the shuttle and the boat so the timing works. Surfers: let us know when booking if you are bringing a board so we reserve the space.
When to book: in dry season (January–April) and around Carnival this leg fills fast — two or three days ahead is safe. In green season, a day ahead usually works. Travelling as a group? You can also book a private van at your own departure time.
Arriving in Santa Catalina: the shuttle drops you at your hotel or hostel, and the village is small and walkable — dive and surf shops line the single main road. ATMs are unreliable here, so bring the cash you need from Panama City. If your plan is Coiba the next morning, boats leave around 7 AM: the shuttle gets you in the evening before with time to check in, rent gear and have dinner at one of the beachfront restaurants.
Frequently asked questions
How do I reserve and pay?
Use our booking form or message us on WhatsApp. We confirm availability, and you secure your seat with a $10 deposit per person — by PayPal (booking@panamashuttles.com), Wise or a secure card payment link (card payments include the processing fee). The rest is paid in cash to your driver on the day of travel.
What time does the shuttle leave Panama City?
The shuttle leaves Panama City at 9:30 AM (arrives around 3:30 PM) and 2:00 PM (arrives around 8:30 PM). We confirm your pickup by WhatsApp the day before travel.
Where is the meeting point in Panama City?
In Casco Antiguo (Casco Viejo), the historic old town. We confirm the exact meeting spot and time by WhatsApp the day before.
Do you drop me at my hotel?
Yes. In Santa Catalina we drop you at your hotel or hostel — tell us where you are staying when you book.
Can you line this up with a Coiba tour?
Yes — tell us your dates and we make sure you arrive the evening before your boat. Coiba trips leave Santa Catalina early in the morning.