Taxi -Puerto Quetzal - Antigua roundtrip

[dmac]

Hello,

We will be in Puerto Quetzal on a Sunday and wish to go to Antigua on our own.

Will there be taxis available at the port to take us there, and taxis available in Antigua

to return us to port? What would be the approximate cost?

Will most things be open on a Sunday in Antigua?

Thanks,

Diane

[cardamon]

following- also interested for May 2020.

[Starlight Durban Cruising]

We did the ships tour with NCL last month on a Thursday. It is over an hour each way on a 1-lane each direction road. VERY HILLY, and I think traffic could be heavy on weekends. One also has to go through the volcano-damaged zone with roadworks so that can slow things down while you drive up to Antigua, and back.

 

The port is an industrial one, and I do not recall any taxis being at the pier. Might have been some, but I  do not recall any being there. Hope that you do find the info you need.

[Turtles06]

I strongly suggest booking the "Antigua on Your Own" tour through your ship, assuming it is offered.  This will be RT transportation to Antigua; there will be a guide on the bus who will give you info about Antigua on the way, as well as a street map (although you can find good info for walking tours on the internet).  We did this a couple of years ago (on NCL), and had about four hours in Antigua -- plenty of time.   

 

As pointed out above, it's a long way from Puerto Quetzal to Antigua.  When I first researched this, what I read on here was that not only is it a narrow road, but that one could easily be stuck in traffic on the way back, and this was the wisest way to visit Antigua from a cruise ship in Puerto Quetzal.  Having now done this, I concur.  

 

My detailed trip report of our Panama Canal cruise is at the link below; our day in Antigua begins at post  50:

 

Edited February 27, 2019 by Turtles06

[DebInAntigua]

I live in Guatemala. In Antigua, actually. I concur that traffic here is VERY unpredictable, and getting into a random taxi is not always as safe as you'd expect in a USA city. I would absolutely book a tour to Antigua or the lake only through the cruise line. Do not try to do this independently. You need to know that the tour transportation has been vetted for security and safety of the driver, and that the ship will wait if you get stuck on the return drive. Political roadblocks happen often here, plus accidents and just "no good reason" stalled traffic is very, very common.

 

You can use Uber to get around safely and reliably once you are in Antigua, if needed, to reduce your walking between attractions. Be aware that the number of Uber drivers is limited in Guatemala except in Guatemala City. It can sometimes take up to 30 minutes to get picked up. Just depends on the day. Sundays are often very slow service with Uber.

You can also zip around Antigua in a tuk-tuk (little motorized cart that seats 2). They are a fun and bumpy ride over Antigua's cobblestones, but be aware the drivers will probably try to charge you a lot more as an obvious tourist. While the "official" rate inside Antigua is Q15, most tuk-tuk drivers will ask for Q20-Q25 when it's busy with tourists. It can go up to Q30-Q35 if it's raining and demand is high. The price is per trip, NOT per passenger. Make sure you agree on the price before getting in, and don't be pressured into paying per person. Also be careful to not hand over a larger bill like a Q100 (which is about $13 USD). Tuk-tuk drivers have been known to simply drive off without giving you change (happened to us in the early days of moving here!). Not trying to discourage you from using tuk-tuks (you should ride in one once for sure!). Just sharing some of the transportation gotchas you may run into once you arrive in Antigua. Uber is usually cheaper or about the same as a tuk-tuk and you don't have to worry about negotiating the price if that bothers you.

Edited March 3, 2019 by DebInAntigua
typo

[XSYTD]

Hi,

We will be on the NCL Bliss in November and the Antigua On Your Own tour through the cruise ship is either not being offered or is sold out. Please comment on the recent experience with a taxi cab or group van for transportation to and from Puerto Quetza and Antigua. We would love to do this tour.

Thank you!