Transport in Quetzaltenango (Xela) - Lonely Planet Travel Information

Getting there & away

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For 2nd-class buses, head out to Terminal Minerva, a dusty, noisy, crowded yard on 7a Calle, Zona 3, in the west of town. Buses leave frequently for many highland destinations. Leaving or entering town, some buses make a stop east of the center at the Rotonda, a traffic circle on Calzada Independencia, marked by the Monumento a la Marimba. Getting off here when you’re coming into Xela saves the 10 to 15 minutes it will take your bus to cross town to Terminal Minerva.

First-class companies operating between Quetzaltenango and Guatemala City have their own terminals. All of the buses listed here depart from Terminal Minerva, unless otherwise indicated.

Almolonga (for Los Vahos) (US$0.50, 15 minutes, 6km) Buses every 15 minutes, 5:30am to 5pm, with a stop for additional passengers at the corner of 9a Av and 10a Calle.

Antigua (170km) Take any bus heading to Guatemala City via the Interamericana and change at Chimaltenango.

Chichicastenango (US$3, three hours, 94km) Buses at 5am, 6am, 9:30am, 10:45am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm and 3:30pm. Or take a bus heading to Guatemala City by the Interamericana and change at Los Encuentros.

Ciudad Tecún Umán (Mexican border) (US$3.50, 3½ hours, 129km) Hourly buses from 5am to 2pm.

Cuatro Caminos (US$0.50, 30 minutes, 11km) Take any bus for Huehuetenango, Momostenango, Totonicapán, San Francisco El Alto and so on.

El Carmen/Talismán (Mexican border) Take a bus to Coatepeque (US$2.50, two hours, every 30 minutes) and get a direct bus to El Carmen (US$2.50, two hours).

Guatemala City (US$6, four to five hours, 205km) Linea Dorada (7767 5198; 12 Av & 5 Calle, Zona 1) Two 1st-class buses (US$8), 4am and 2:30pm; Líneas América (7761 4587; 7a Av 3-33, Zona 2) Six pullmans, 5:15am to 3:30pm; Transportes Álamo (7763 5044; 14 Av 5-15, Zona 3) Seven pullman buses, from 4:30am to 4:45pm; Transportes Galgos (7761 2248; Calle Rodolfo Robles 17-43, Zona 1) Five pullmans, 3am to 3pm. Each departs from their own terminals. Cheaper 2nd-class buses depart Terminal Minerva every 30 minutes, 3am to 4:30pm, but they make many stops and take longer.

Huehuetenango (US$2, two hours, 90km) Buses every 30 minutes, 5am to 5:30pm.

La Mesilla (Mexican border) (US$3, 3½ hours, 170km, buses at 5am, 6am, 7am, 8am, 1pm and 4pm) Or take a bus to Huehuetenango and change there.

Momostenango (US$1, 1¼ hours, 26km) Buses every 30 minutes, 6am to 5pm.

Panajachel (US$2.50, 2½ hours, 90km) Buses at 5am, 6am, 8am, 10am, noon and 3pm. Or take any bus for Guatemala City via the Interamericana and change at Los Encuentros.

Retalhuleu (US$1.50, 1 hour, 46km) Buses every 30 minutes, 4:30am to 6pm. Look for ‘Reu’ on the bus; ‘Retalhuleu’ won’t be spelled out.

San Andrés Xecul (US$0.80, 40 minutes) Buses every hour or two, from 6am to 3pm. Or take any bus to San Francisco El Alto or Totonicapán, get out at the Esso station at the Moreiria junction and flag a pickup.

San Francisco El Alto (US$0.60, one hour, 15km) Buses about every 15 minutes, 6am to 6pm.

San Martín Sacatepéquez (San Martín Chile Verde) (US$0.80, 45 minutes, 22km) Various companies have buses that leave when full. Placards may say ‘Colomba’ or ‘El Rincón.’ Minibuses also serve this route.

Totonicapán (US$1, one hour, 22km) Buses every 20 minutes, 6am to 5pm. Departing from the Rotonda on Calzada Independencia. Placards generally say ‘Toto.’

Zunil (US$0.60, 20 minutes, 10km) Buses every 30 minutes, 7am to 7pm. With an additional stop at the corner of 9a Av and 10a Calle, southeast of Parque Centroamérica.