Getting Around Continued

March 2014 Update: Note: now the major toll highways all require the use of pre-paid toll cards. If you rent at PTY (Tocumen), you will need a card for Corredor Sur. If you use Corredor Norte and the Colon - Panama Autopista, you will need a different card. These cards can be bought and have money added to them at the entrance toll booths. I noticed that one booth on the Panama Colon route was still collecting cash. Save your cards for the next trip as there is a charge for the card also. Oh, and $5.00 will not get you a round trip to the airport from the city or round trip to and from Bala Beach Resort, so you might as well put $10 on each card.

I rented a car while in Panama on the last trip, but based on past experience, driving in Panama City is not recommended unless you:
1. Know the main city streets
2. Know where there is construction and traffic is diverted
3. Have really really really good insurance
4. Know the driving rules of Panama, both formal and informal, and
5. Enjoy stress, you know, the kind of stress that being sandwiched tightly between a diablo rojo and an irate taxi driver can supply.

I could go on, but if you have been there, you probably have got the idea. Driving from Bala Beach Resort to Sabanitas or even to the outskirts of Colon is not too difficult. The traffic can be congested and a little exciting in Sabanitas and at the Sabanitas/ Trasmistica intersection. You may need a little patience at this point.

In any case, try to avoid commute times with both bus and driving, if possible. Traffic lights are often dim, so you must watch for them.

As a future resident at Bala, I plan to go to Panama City as needed, but not often. If you are taking the bus to Allbrook, I recommend the Metrobus for in-city travel. It is great.

Metrobus
The key here is to get a Metropass. You can't get on and give the bus driver money. They only take pre-loaded Metrobus Cards (Tarjeta Metobus). Get a card. They are presently $2.00. Bus fare is $.25 and will eventually go to $.45. They are air conditioned and relatively comfortable.

I always spend my first night in the city and then head over to the Caribbean side. If you are staying near El Cangrejo, you can buy the Metrobus card and load it at the Rey supermarket on Via Espana. (near the original offices of Bala Beach Resort).

As more owners are enjoying their condos I hope that we can work out a cost effective way to share transportation, including airport transfers and shopping trips etc. Until then give the Metrobus a try. Here is the website.

http://www.tarjetametrobus.com/

If you have any other transportation ideas, please feel free to share them. Thanks.