Lake Atitlan To Guatemala City Airport: Complete Guide 2023

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Looking for the best ways to get from Lake Atitlan to Guatemala City Airport? You’re in the right place! Travelling between the two locations is a popular route when backpacking Guatemala.

But how do you travel between Lake Atitlan and Guatemala’s main airport? This post outlines everything you need to know about the two locations, from safety concerns, journey times, prices, drop-off points and more.

So, let’s get started and discuss all the possible ways to travel to Guatemala City Airport from Lake Atitlan (Panajachel).

🚎 In a rush? Simply click here for shared shuttle prices and availability between Lake Atitlan and Guatemala City Airport, or here for private transfers.

Still have a question about the Lake Atitlan to Guatemala City Airport journey? Let me know over on Instagram or shoot me an email at jennie(@)jenniewanders.com!

🇬🇹 Other Guatemala posts:

• Lake Atitlan Towns & What Each One Is Best For
• Lake Atitlan To Semuc Champey: Step-By-Step Guide
• Lake Atitlan To Flores: COMPLETE Guide
• Boat Schedule on Lake Atitlan: How Do Lanchas Work?

Did you know I have a whole post dedicated to helping you backpack Guatemala? From routes, itineraries, what to do, where to eat, what not to miss and everything in between! It’s a one-stop backpacking Guatemala guide – don’t forget to check it out!

Lake Atitlan to Guatemala City Airport: A Summary

The distance between Lake Atitlan (Panajachel) and Guatemala City Airport (La Aurora International Airport) is around 110km by road, and a 3.5 hour drive.

There are a few safe and reliable ways for backpackers to travel between the two locations.

In summary, there are three main ways to get from Lake Atitlan to the airport. They are:

• Shared shuttle (most popular backpacker option)
• Private transfer
• Public bus

It’s important to note that all major pickup and dropoff locations in Lake Atitlan are from Panajachel. Panajachel is also the main hub for boats travelling to surrounding towns, such as San Pedro, Santa Cruz and San Juan.

If you’re backpacking Guatemala, the most common, safest and easiest way to travel between Lake Atitlan and Guatemala City Airport is by shuttle. The shuttles hold around 16 people and are full of other backpackers.

But, if you’re a little more adventurous than us, you can travel to the airport from Lake Atitlan via public bus. This will take a longer amount of time, but of course, you get the adventure of being mixed in with the locals on a second-hand converted USA school bus!

If you’re backpacking Central America, Guatemala is likely to come after Mexico, Belize or El Salvador. Most backpackers tend to travel around Central America from January – May, as it is when the countries are their driest. However, as it’s peak time, it’s also the most expensive!

1) Lake Atitlan to Guatemala City Airport by shared shuttle

As previously mentioned, the shuttle between Lake Atitlan and Guatemala City Airport is the cheapest and most reliable way to travel between the two locations.

• Shared shuttle bookings: check out the pre-booking options here!
• Price: $40-50 USD per person
• Duration: 4 hours (approx)

➡ BOOK YOUR SHUTTLE NOW!

Your luggage will be safely tied to the top of the shuttle. Just remember to keep all valuables with you inside the bus!

As I mentioned, shuttles in Guatemala are full of other backpackers and tourists. They are safe, reliable and easy to use. They’re also modern and clean, and everyone will have their seat (no plastic chairs shoved in the middle of an aisle)!

I highly recommend using shuttles in Guatemala when backpacking!

 I highly recommend downloading an eSIM on your phone to ensure you can use it for directions and safety in Guatemala We found most of the cities to be chaotic and difficult to find local SIM cards. ➡ You can check out the prices and packages for eSIMs here!

2) Lake Atitlan to Guatemala City Airport by private transfer

If you have a luxury budget, or if there is a bigger group of you (at least 3 or 4), you may want to split a private transfer.

• Private transfer company: pre-book now
• Price: $150 USD
• Duration: 4 hours (approx)

“Just letting people who come from a different country this was safe and I did it solo. Driver took me from Guatemala City to Panajachel.” – Viator Reviews

➡ BOOK YOUR PRIVATE TRANSFER NOW!

Private cars will pick you up from your Panajachel accommodation (you will need to board a lancha if you’re not already there), and drop you off at the airport.

3) Lake Atitlan to Guatemala City Airport by public bus

If I’m perfectly honest, I do not recommend boarding the public bus from Panajachel to Guatemala City Airport unless you are on a really tight budget.

Public buses, or ‘chicken buses’ as they’re more commonly referred to in Guatemala, are old American school buses. They’re brightly decorated, have flashing funky lights and offer one hell of a ride (and not in a good way).

Public buses in Guatemala can be cramped, hectic and chaotic. There’s a reason why they’re so cheap! However, if you do want to tick a chicken bus off your Central America bucket list, there is a way to travel from Lake Atitlan to the airport.

Here’s a quick summary of what the journey will look like, before I go into more detail below.

• Board a bus from Lake Atitlan (Panajachel) to Antigua: 3.5 hours.
• From Antigua, board a bus to Guatemala City: 1.5 hours.
• Take the direct bus departing from Fuerza Aerea to La Aurora International Airport: 15 mins.

Part 1: Lake Atitlan to Antigua

The journey from Antigua to Lake Atitlan via public bus would be (correct as of August 2023):

• Antigua > Chilmaltenango (50 minutes)
• Chilmaltenango > Los Encuentros (70 minutes)
• Los Encuentros > Salolá (40 minutes)
• Salolá > Panajachel (25 minutes)

Total time from Antigua to Lake Atitlan via public bus: 3.5 hours. As you can see, this is a much longer journey than taking a tourist shuttle. You’ve got to want the adventure to do it!

Important to know:

• The route from Antigua to Lake Atitlan via public bus involves 4 buses and 3 changes.
• Chicken buses run throughout the day, but can stop early in the evenings, so start early!
• You shouldn’t have to wait longer than 5-10 minutes between buses.

Part 2: Antigua to Guatemala City and La Aurora International Airport

When you arrive in Antigua, you will need to catch a public bus to the main bus terminal in Guatemala City. This is called Tipografía.

From Tipografía, board a bus to Fuerza Aerea. Buses depart every 20 minutes, and operate every day. The journey shouldn’t take longer than 15 minutes.

Again, I don’t recommend this journey unless you’re on a really, really tight budget.

Put off by a 6-hour public bus journey? Check out shared shuttle prices here instead!

Where to stay in Lake Atitlan

Lake Atitlan has many different areas for backpackers to stay in. Some are more popular than others for several reasons. Where you stay in Lake Atitlan will depend on what kind of traveller and person you are.

Not sure which Lake Atitlan town is best for you? Check out my full summary of all of the best Lake Atitlan towns here!

For example, if you’re keen to party, you’ll want to stay in San Pedro. Or if you want to experience the zen, hippy part of the lake, head to San Marcos. 

For a remote hostel experience (with little around, so you’re all-in with your hostel friends), look at hostels in Santa Cruz (like Free Cerveza). Another popular location is to actually stay in Panajachel, Lake Atitlan’s main town.

I recommend either staying in a social hostel or a hotel/apartment with a lake view. We stayed in a few different locations around the lake, and whilst we liked our Airbnb in Panajachel, it was so far away from the lake that it didn’t feel like we were there.

If we were to return, we’d splurge a little more and stay in an apartment in one of the smaller towns overlooking the volcanoes and water.

But of course, most backpackers (like us!) can’t afford this, so we stick to the hostels. Our favourite hostel on Lake Atitlan was Free Cerveza (a full review can be found here).

• Free Cerveza (Santa Cruz): for backpackers wanting to SUP, swim, socialise, be off the grid for a few days and soak in everything the lake has to offer ➡ BOOK NOW!

• Selina (Panajachel): for digital nomads in Lake Atilan. ➡ BOOK NOW!

• Dreamboat Hostel (Panajachel): If you want to party in Panajachel  ➡ BOOK NOW!

• Mr Mullet’s (San Pedro): for BIG party backpackers and solo travellers (they run their own crazy boat party)➡ BOOK NOW!

• Chirris Hostal (San Juan): For a nice hostel in the middle of San Juan ➡ BOOK NOW!

Lake Atitlan to Guatemala City Airport: FAQs

1) How do I get from Lake Atitlan to the airport?

In summary, there are three main ways to get from Lake Atitlan to the airport. They are via a shared shuttle (most popular backpacker option), private transfer and public bus. The most popular option for backpackers is the shared shuttle.

2) How much is an Uber from Guatemala City to Lake Atitlan?

Guatemala City to Lake Atitlan (Panajachel) is around a 3.5-hour journey, so you can expect the cost of an Uber to be at least $120-160 USD. It may be cheaper to pre-book a private transfer here.

Guatemala City is one of the few locations in the country that offers Uber. You can simply order an Uber from both Guatemala City neighbourhoods and the airport easily.

3) How many days should I spend in Lake Atitlan?

As Lake Atitlan is only a 2-hour shuttle from Antigua, it’s worth visiting for at least 2-3 nights. It’s one of the most magical and spiritual places in Guatemala and is so worth a visit!

Two nights in Lake Atitlan gives you enough time to explore some of the villages by lancha (local speed boat), do some hiking, admire the volcanic views, kayak or swim in the lake and experience some of the magic Lake Atitlan has to offer.

Short on time? You can also book a day trip to Lake Atitlan from Antigua here.

Best backpacker travel insurance for Central America

If you’re visiting Central America as a backpacker, or even for a short vacation, it is so important to have travel insurance. And if you ended up on a post that’s called ‘epic party tips’, you know (just as well as I do) that you definitely need travel insurance.

Personally, I recommend SafetyWing. As a digital nomad and world traveller myself, I can confirm it is the best travel insurance out there. And one of the cheapest – they have deals that start at just $42 USD per month.

I know, I know, you’re thinking ‘but I can’t afford that!’. I was the same! It’s tough to fork out $42 a month on something ‘you might not need’. But what if something DOES happen? That extra Mezcal shot results in you falling down the stairs, or you eat something dodgy from a street food van.

If you need medical help at any point whilst in Central America, you need travel insurance.

With SafetyWing, you’re covered on travel emergencies, basic medical costs and medical expenses throughout your trip, so you can travel without worry (at a backpacker’s price!)

Don’t even think twice about getting travel insurance for Central America. Trust me, I have heard enough horror stories about backpackers who haven’t had insurance and have ended up in a lot of debt. Don’t be that person!

If you’ve been putting the job off because it takes a lot of time and effort to research the best travel insurance companies, I understand. That’s why I’ve done the hard work for you. Sign up for SafetyWing, and the job is done!

Lake Atitlan to Guatemala City Airport: In A Nutshell

So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about travelling from Lake Atitlan to Guatemala City Airport! When you’re planning a trip to Guatemala, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below!

If you haven’t seen my blog before, I write posts aimed at real-life travellers wanting authentic and down-to-earth information. 

I’m currently balancing travelling around the world and living in London with my boyfriend (read more here!), whilst creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!

Keep an eye out for more Guatemala content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!

As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!

Happy travelling 🙂

Jennie x

🇬🇹 Other Guatemala posts:

• 15 Best Coffee Shops In Antigua Guatemala (+ Digital Nomad Spots)
• 3 Days in Antigua Guatemala: The Perfect Itinerary
• Lake Atitlan Boat Schedule: How Do Lanchas Work?