Private Cars or Ubers in Guatemala

Private cars are the priciest form of transportation in Guatemala for traveling between cities and usually ranges from $50–$100 USD, depending on your destination. I personally used this option when I traveled to and from Guatemala City. While Guatemala City is generally safe, it is known for certain areas with higher criminal activity. If you have a late-night arrival and departure like me, I highly recommend arranging a private driver ahead of time. Ask your Airbnb host or hotel if they can recommend someone trustworthy. I found my driver through my Airbnb host, and he ended up being one of the highlights of my trip.

I recommend downloading WhatsApp before your trip, as most drivers communicate through messaging on the app. It’s also a good idea to confirm the price in advance and carry cash. While my driver did accept card payments, Guatemala is still largely a cash-based country.

1. Private Transport: Guatemala City to Lake Atitlán

For the route from Guatemala City to Lake Atitlán, I personally found a private car to be the smoothest option. The drive from Guatemala City to Lake Atitlan can take anywhere from 3-4 hours. After a long travel day, this was honestly one of the few moments I was grateful to spend extra money.

Additionally, a private driver can take you directly to your lake town instead of doing a stop in Panajachel. However, I don’t recommend this for people with a weak stomach, since the roads are very curvy around the lake. Personally, I think getting off at Panajachel first and either taking a water taxi or staying overnight is the best option.

3. Traveling with Large Luggage

If you are traveling with large luggage, a private car is often the most practical option for transportation in Guatemala. Most shuttle vans are small and don’t have proper luggage space, so bags are usually strapped to the roof. Chicken buses typically only have overhead bin space just big enough for backpacks or small carry-ons. While you may be able to place luggage on an empty seat, these buses tend to get very crowded, so there is no guarantee of space. In addition, frequent transfers can make it difficult to continuously carry and manage larger suitcases on and off buses.

Also, as a traveler it is also important to be mindful of your belongings, especially when you are clearly a tourist. Guatemala is full of kind people, and this is just a general travel precaution I would recommend for any part of the world. You don’t want to end up stranded in a foreign country with no cash or a lost passport!

4. Supporting Local Drivers & Experiencing the Culture

When I first stepped outside the airport in Guatemala City, it felt like entering a completely different world. Families were crowding the arrivals area wearing traditional Mayan clothing, holding balloons and welcoming their loved ones. I was fascinated.

As I got into my private car with my driver, René, he told me it’s very common for entire families to come greet people at the airport, since many Guatemalans go abroad to work and earn a living to support their families back home. René was not just my driver; he became my guide and taught me more about Guatemalan culture than I could have learned from a Google search or Reddit post, and over the course of the ride, he became a friend to me.

One of my favorite parts of traveling is connecting with local people and experiencing a place through them. I didn’t expect this going into the trip, but my driver René and I ended up becoming friends. The entire 3-hour car ride was filled with constant conversation about socioeconomic issues, cultural differences, religion, Guatemalan authors, music, and politics. It felt like one of those rare travel moments where time moves differently.

He even took time to stop and show me an amazing viewpoint of Lake Atitlán, and we even grabbed coffee together later down in my trip in Antigua, where we continued the conversation from where we left off.

Shared shuttles are the best mid-range option if you want something affordable, but still relatively convenient. Prices are usually around $25 USD one way. These shuttles operate between major destinations like Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala City, and Lake Atitlán. One important thing to know is that most shuttles stop in Antigua first. So if you are traveling from Guatemala City to Lake Atitlán directly, the total journey will take around 6 hours. The ride to Antigua itself is about 1-2 hours depending on traffic.

Most shuttles don’t run until late, so if your flight arrives late at night then , you will likely need private transportation. Another option is to stay the night in Guatemala city, but make sure you do your research and avoid danger zones.

My Experience: Shuttle from Lake Atitlán to Antigua

I used this option when traveling from Lake Atitlán to Antigua Guatemala. All shuttles depart from Panajachel, so make sure you arrive early or your shuttle can leave without you. Some companies also offer hotel or hostel pickup. The ride from Panajachel to Antigua takes around 2 hours.

I will say this is not a comfortable ride. The vans are packed with around 10–12 people, and luggage is strapped to the roof. It gets hot and stuffy real quick. The AC doesn’t do much, so expect a hot ride. Still, this is a great option if you are traveling on a budget and packing light.

Most shuttle companies will drop you directly at your hotel or hostel if requested. Otherwise, they will drop you off in the city center of Antigua. You can book the shuttle through sites like Guatego or drop by a local travel agency that are all around Lake Atitlán selling shuttle services. I booked through Guatego and had a really good experience with them. I was running late to my shuttle, and their customer service was super responsive. They quickly communicated the situation with my shuttle driver directly and made sure I didn’t miss my ride. They were life savers!

Chicken Buses

Chicken buses are essentially old American school buses that have been repurposed as public transportation. This is by far the cheapest way to travel around Guatemala and definitely more of a “do it for the experience” type of ride.

These buses are heavily used by locals and can become extremely crowded, sometimes holding over 100 people in a single bus. They can get hot, loud, and chaotic very quickly. The driving is also not for the faint of heart. Stops can be abrupt, and if you are shy or timid, squeezing through crowds to get off at your stop can feel intimidating at first.

It’s also worth confirming the fare beforehand, as tourists are sometimes quoted higher prices. During the ride, vendors often hop on selling fruit, drinks, and snacks, which adds to the lively atmosphere.

Overall, chicken buses are chaotic and overwhelming, but they’re also a true Guatemala experience. If you can handle chicken buses, you can get around anywhere in Guatemala. They go pretty much everywhere, including Antigua, Lake Atitlán, and smaller towns, at almost any time of day.

Water Taxis (La Lanchas)

Lake Atitlán is a volcanic lake in Guatemala surrounded by three volcanoes, mountainous terrain, and Indigenous Mayan villages. All the villages around the lake are connected by water, and the main way to get around is by water taxi, known locally as “lanchas.”

These boats run pretty frequently, usually every 15 to 30 minutes, starting around 7am and going into the evening. The latest departure time depends on the village, with some stopping around 5pm and others running until about 7pm, so I would definitely double-check before heading out.

Each village has a dock where you can catch a lancha, and there are usually people around who will help you figure out which boat to take. They can also carry luggage, which makes hopping between villages fairly easy.

The rides are very affordable, typically costing no more than 25 quetzales, and are cash only so make sure always carry some with you when going around the lake. You usually pay at the end of your ride once you get off the boat. There are also private boats, but those are a lot more expensive so just be aware of that before getting on.

The lake gets windy later in the day, which makes the water choppier and the ride can get very bumpy. If you want a smoother ride, make sure to sit toward the back of the boat or you might get flung off the boat!

Tuk-Tuks

Tuk-tuks were my favorite way to get around the villages in Lake Atitlán. Even though the villages are small and very walkable, the roads can be quite hilly, which makes it difficult to roll luggage around and the last thing you want to do is be walking uphill in the Guatemalan heat. Tuk-tuks are everywhere, super convenient, and highly accesible. You can easily grab one from any side of the road.

The rides usually cost around 10 to 25 quetzales, which is about $1 to $2 USD. I honestly loved riding them, and if the villages are close enough, you can even use tuk-tuks to travel between them rather than using a water taxi. For the water taxis, you might need to wait until departure time, but the tuk-tuks have no wait time and will immediately take you where you need.

I did that from San Juan to San Pedro and back since it’s only about a 10-minute ride. At one point, I even ended up in a tuk-tuk with a whole family, which was an experience in itself haha.