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Travelling to and entering around in Panama is easy. You can enter the country through the Pacific or Atlantic coast. There are few immigration rules, requirements and processes that are to be followed. |
Tocumen, the airport just outside the Panama City is the only international airport in Panama now servicing flights. You need to pay $5.00 for a Tourist Visa. This can be paid either upon entering Panama or at the departure gate from where you leave. This ticket needs to be produced when you depart. So it is advisable to keep safe the second half of the ticket. Otherwise you may need to purchase another Tourist visa.
Once you enter Panama you must proceed through immigration. There are only 4 windows in immigration. After clearing immigration you have to pass through customs. Generally speaking the process is rather quick and you will be required to open your suitcase. The lines are divided into "articles to declare" and "nothing to declare".
When you leave the airport you will most likely be approached by taxi drivers. There are several options available. For traveling alone by a taxi you may need to pay $25.00 to $30.00. When you opt for sharing a taxi with others the prices are reduced. There are no public buses that arrive at the terminal entrance. But in about 5-8 minutes walk you could reach a circular intersection with a bus stop. All the buses pass through the city and stop at several locations.
To Panama by bus via the Pacific coast:
First you need to decide on which coast you want to enter Panama and how far you want to go. There are several ways you can get to Panama from San Jose.
The Pacific Coast is by far the most heavily traveled as all commercial traffic pass along this route.
If you are visiting Panama and not going directly to Bocas Del Toro, the pacific coast is most likely the entry. From San Jose to Panama City both Panaline and Tica Bus offer direct service from San Jose. The cost is approximately $20.00 to $23.00 each way. Buses depart daily and take about 14-15 hours to reach the city. The buses are large, air conditioned, comfortable and may not stop along the way. You can also take a bus to the border and later catch a bus on the Panama side with the bus company called Padafront. This bus leaves at regular intervals from the border throughout the day and stops in David en route to the Panama City.
For going to David, the capital of Chiriqui Province, there is a bus that departs San Jose every morning from the Tracopa bus terminal at 7.30 a.m. This costs approximately $8.00 one way. The trip from San Jose to the border takes approximately 7 hours.
IMMIGRATION RULES, REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESSES:
If you enter Panama via the Pacific coast or the Pan-American Highway the following should be noted down.
At the border you will have to be cleared by the Costa Rican Immigration Officials. There are two windows. Here you are required to fill out a short form and purchase a single stamp that costs less than $1.00. The procedure is very quick and simple.
On completing this process, walk straight to the Panamanian Immigration office. Here you will have to present yourself to the window where you will be given a numbered piece of paper. On producing this paper you can get your Tourist Card which costs $5.00. You need to purchase a $1.00 stamp also and produce the same at the window there along with the card and your passport. There are several other requirements also but there is no guarantee that they will be demanded by officials there. They are: A return ticket out of Panama, $500.00 in cash but it is fine if you have a valid credit card.
To Panama by bus via the Atlantic coast:
You can reach Panama along the Caribbean coast as well. Most tourists arriving at Bocas Del Toro arrive this way. You can take a direct bus from San Jose, Costa Rica to Changuinola, Panama which departs every morning at 9:55; there is really no bus terminal for this bus, but it departs just one half blocks north of the Panaline bus terminal. You can purchase your tickets in the bus. The trip costs about $8.00 and lasts between 6-7 hours. This particular bus does not have air conditioning or a bathroom, but it is comfortable.
Buses depart San Jose to Sixaola (a border town on Costa Rica’s side) daily from the Caribbean Terminal just north of the city. There are alos direct buses from San Jose to Limon. These buses leave throughout the day.
If you are not taking a direct bus to Changuinola, you may get there by a taxi ride in 20 minutes. From Changuinola buses and taxis can be obtained if you would like to head on to Almirante, which is where the water taxis depart en route to Bocas Island.
Buses from Changuinola to Almirante cost $1.00, and they are small minivans, but very comfortable and air conditioned. A taxi ride from Changuinola to Almirante costs $10.00 per ride and NOT per passenger. The roads from San Jose to Bri Bri, which is about one 1 1 /4 hours from the border, are in good shape but the weekends are busier.
IMMIGRATION RULES, REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESSES:
The Immigrations process along the Atlantic coast is much easier and faster than along the Pacific. The Immigration offices are open between 8:00 a.m. -6:00 p.m. on both sides, seven days a week. It shouldn't take but 15 minutes to cross the border.
There is a bridge connecting both countries that has to be crossed; you can either walk or remain on the bus. Here they sometimes ask for a return ticket but hardly anything else.
