Arrive · Panama City
Tocumen International Airport (PTY)
PTY to Casco Viejo: one taxi from the official counter or a ride-hailing car, 40–70 minutes depending on traffic — the risk is not the ride but a rainy rush hour and a hotel door that locks.
Key facts
- Default ride
- Airport taxi or ride-hailing car to the door
- Ride time
- 45–75 min
- p50–p90
- Fare
- $35
- Late night after
- 22:00
- on demand
Rules in force · 9Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua (CA-4) giv…Street taxis often quote a tourist price and do not use m…
- Central America ↗Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua (CA-4) give one shared entry allowance, usually 90 days in total; leaving for Belize, Costa Rica or Mexico and coming back does not always reset it — check with immigration before a long stay.
- Central America ↗Cross land borders in daylight and early in the day; many posts close or empty of transport by late afternoon, and the approaches are where robberies happen.
- Central America ↗Several borders charge entry, exit or municipal fees in US dollars (Belize exit, Nicaragua entry and exit, Honduras entry); carry small, clean US notes and ask for a receipt.
- Panama ↗Check entry rules for your passport with Panama's National Migration Service or a Panamanian consulate; proof of onward travel and funds may be asked for.
- Panama ↗Do not travel independently in the Darién; the UK and other governments warn against parts of it, and there is no road crossing to Colombia.
- Panama ↗Guna Yala (San Blas) is governed by the Guna people: visitor fees apply, and photography of people usually needs permission and payment. Book through Guna-run or licensed operators.
- Panama City and the Canal ↗Check the Canal Authority's daily ship schedule before you plan the locks: the visit is worth most when a ship is due.
- Panama City ↗Street taxis often quote a tourist price and do not use meters: book through a ride-hailing app or the airport taxi counter, and agree the fare before you get in.
- Panama City ↗May to November brings heavy afternoon rain: plan outdoor stops for the morning and keep the afternoon for indoor stops.
--:--local time in Panama City
More
Map of the airport
Directions
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Plan
Your landing time, your bags, your bed
Lock your path to bed
feasibledesk 24hlandside ready ~23:07 (p90)
Take Airport taxi or ride-hailing car to the door at 23:10. Bed by ~00:30 (+1) (p90).
Last viable for this bed: 06:00 (+1) (land by 03:53 (+1))
Sleep area not decided? Check the area first.
Before you leave the airport
- Withdraw a small amount of US dollars at a bank ATM in arrivals; keep small notes.
- Activate your eSIM, or buy a tourist SIM at the counters in arrivals (passport needed).
- Check the fare in the app before you book, or pay at the official taxi counter.
- Message your hotel if you will arrive after its desk closes.
Buying the ticket, step by step
- 1After customs, follow signs to the official taxi counter or the ride-hailing pickup area (field-verify).
- 2Give the hotel's exact address; check the plate before you get in.
- 3Agree the fare before you leave, or use a prepaid zone ticket.
On the groundHideSteps from the gate, and what to do if it breaks
On the ground
Step by step from the gate, and what to do if it breaks
Zero-brain vs precision
- Daytime default
- Official airport taxi counter or ride-hailing car from the pickup lane, straight to the door.
- Precision
- Tocumen has one main terminal building with several concourses; taxi and ride-hailing pickup points are outside arrivals (field-verify).
- Late-night threshold
- 22:00
Steps from landing
5 / 12 min
Gate to immigration
all arrivals25 / 60 min
Immigration (entry rules by passport; onward ticket may be asked)
only intl checked, intl cabin15 / 35 min
Baggage claim + customs
only intl checked, domestic checked10 / 20 min
SIM/cash, then the taxi rank or pickup lane
all arrivals45 / 75 min
Airport taxi or ride-hailing car to the door
on demand, any hour · $35
If it breaks
- Immigration can be slow when several banks of flights land together; message the hotel with your flight number before you fly.
- Use the official taxi counter or your ride-hailing app; decline drivers who approach inside the hall.
- Old-town guesthouses may lock early: ask about night access in advance.
Other flights, questions and sourcesHideOther flights
Deep dive
Other flights
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Sources
| Field | Value | Source type | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| primary.yen | $30–40 to Casco Viejo | secondary | 40% |