Pleasure Ride

Our trip on the Panama side was much better, smooth boat ride and friendly helping us get to border - the helpers at Almirante were useful but I think coming onto the minibus to ask for tips wasn’t great when we have already paid for this service. There was no communication after crossing the border meaning there was a group of us spending a while looking for our bus/driver, which we thought we’d found, were turned away and then turns out it was our bus. Our driver then was often on his phone meaning there were several slamming of the brakes and he also didn’t drop us off at the agreed point. We left late and arrived late.

The information on 12go is incorrect. You don't arrive into Panama city bus station until 4AM. Also it is only partly a minibus shuttle. You get a minibus to the border. A porter then takes you across the border ( charge $1). Another minibus then takes you to a bus stop where you wait for 3 hours for the 6pm bus to Albrook bus station. You will arrive between 3am and 5 am. The bus is comfortable, although the AC is set to Arctic so you need to come prepared. Had the information on 12go been correct then the service wasn't bad but I had to be at the airport at 5 30AM and 8 had a non refundable room booked as I was expecting to arrive before midnight. The driver who collected me said that they have asked the 12go to correct the error.

You gave me travel insurance that I did not ask for.

No AC! And it was full!