How to get from Santa Ana to Suchitoto by bus via Apopa and Aguilares
This post is from 2022, but I just had word that the details, including the bus fares mentioned, are still correct as of February 2024.
Santa Ana to Suchitoto by bus is a bit long-winded, but equally, not that hard.
I'd already travelled from San Salvador to Suchitoto back in February. For all the amazing photos from that trip, check them out: Photos from Suchitoto.
This time, I was keen to test out the buses from Santa Ana to Suchitoto, without going back to San Salvador.
Easier if you know where you can catch the relevant bus in advance and not figure it out on the go, like I have to, just to bring you the most detailed and accurate details out there.
Santa Ana to Suchitoto is done in 3 sections:
Bus #276 to Apopa departs from the east side of Francisco Lara Pineda in Santa Ana:
Santa Ana to Suchitoto by bus is a bit long-winded, but equally, not that hard.
I'd already travelled from San Salvador to Suchitoto back in February. For all the amazing photos from that trip, check them out: Photos from Suchitoto.
This time, I was keen to test out the buses from Santa Ana to Suchitoto, without going back to San Salvador.
Easier if you know where you can catch the relevant bus in advance and not figure it out on the go, like I have to, just to bring you the most detailed and accurate details out there.
Santa Ana to Suchitoto is done in 3 sections:
- Santa Ana to Apopa
- Apopa to Aguilares
- Aguilares to Suchitoto
Bus #276 to Apopa departs from the east side of Francisco Lara Pineda in Santa Ana:
Location of the Francisco Lara Pineda Bus Terminal in Santa Ana:
I have no idea about the frequency of the departures. I turned up at 9.15 and we left 5 minutes later.
Great for me, as the worst aspect of travel is the endless waiting for transport, sometimes for an unknown length of time.
Here in El Salvador, I haven't waited more than 20 minutes. In West Africa, the average waiting time was 6 hours.
The best strategy when taking buses in many parts of the world is to start early. This way, you have plenty of time to sort things out when things go wrong. Traffic snarl-ups, breakdowns, etc, etc. Just to note, buses don't run at night here!
Fare: 0.74 USD
Duration: 2 hrs 45 (bad traffic on the highway)
The arrival point in Apopa is at the junction with the road going north next to the gas station, conveniently pinpointed on the map below:
Great for me, as the worst aspect of travel is the endless waiting for transport, sometimes for an unknown length of time.
Here in El Salvador, I haven't waited more than 20 minutes. In West Africa, the average waiting time was 6 hours.
The best strategy when taking buses in many parts of the world is to start early. This way, you have plenty of time to sort things out when things go wrong. Traffic snarl-ups, breakdowns, etc, etc. Just to note, buses don't run at night here!
Fare: 0.74 USD
Duration: 2 hrs 45 (bad traffic on the highway)
The arrival point in Apopa is at the junction with the road going north next to the gas station, conveniently pinpointed on the map below:
The next stage of the journey to Suchitoto is the bus to Aguilares.
I used the baño in the gas station, saw bus #117 on the other side of the road, flagged it down and jumped into the traffic amid beeping horns and curses and got on the bus.
Fare: 0.50 USD
Duration: 45 minutes
I arrived in Aguilares at 1 pm near the central park. The driver waited while I got the shot:
I used the baño in the gas station, saw bus #117 on the other side of the road, flagged it down and jumped into the traffic amid beeping horns and curses and got on the bus.
Fare: 0.50 USD
Duration: 45 minutes
I arrived in Aguilares at 1 pm near the central park. The driver waited while I got the shot:
Unsure where the exact departure point was for bus #163 to Suchitoto, the final leg but I hot-footed over to the turn-off and just waited. It seemed the most logical point and the owners in the little road side stall confirmed this for me.
The bus came past at 1:15 pm
Fare: 0.75 USD (for just 20 km)
Duration: 60 minutes
The arrival point in Suchitoto is the main stop outside the municipal market, opposite the "Jehova" supermarket:
Fare: 0.75 USD (for just 20 km)
Duration: 60 minutes
The arrival point in Suchitoto is the main stop outside the municipal market, opposite the "Jehova" supermarket:
Total fare from Santa Ana to Suchitoto: 2.00 USD
Total time needed: 4 hours 55 minutes.
Total time needed: 4 hours 55 minutes.
Tips for travelling by bus in El Salvador:
- Buses do not run at night.
- You can not make a reservation for the chicken buses in El Salvador
- You can not pay with credit card
- You can not pay with BITCOIN.
- Cash is King here and the official currency is the US Dollar
