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.
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 · 6Street taxis often quote a tourist price and do not use m…
- 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.
Map of the airport
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Lock your path to bed
Take Airport taxi or ride-hailing car to the door at 23:10. Bed by ~00:30 (+1) (p90).
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.
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
Sources
| Field | Value | Source type | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| primary.yen | $30–40 to Casco Viejo | secondary | 40% |