Guatemala Guide
Guatemala City
By bus
Travelling by first-class (pullman) bus, you'll arrive at the private terminal of the company you're using. Zona 1 has the majority of these terminals, including buses running to Petén, Mexico, Cobán and most routes to the western highlands. Note that many of these depots are located in an unsavoury part of the city; be on your guard for petty thieves and always take a taxi to your hotel. Other terminals are scattered around the southern half of the city in the safer areas of zonas 9, 10 and 15.
Second-class "chicken buses" now use two main transport terminals (both are located on the western side of the city near the Trébol junction and are just bus stops on the street with no other facilities). Routes from the western highlands, including buses from Quetzaltenango and Lago de Atitlán, use a series of bus stops on 41 Calle between 7 Avenida and 11 Avenida, Zona 7. All routes to and from southern Guatemala (including buses to the border with El Salvador, Escuintla, Retalhuleu and Mexican border) use another terminal at the junction of 8 Avenida and 4 Calle in Zona 12. Note that the old Zona 4 terminal is closed.
From Antigua it's far easier, quicker and safer to take a shuttle bus (US$5–7). Chicken buses terminate on the west side of Trébol at 1 Avenida and 3 Calle, Zona 7, from where you have to get another city bus.