Travel Tips
Travel Tips !
Driving to Coronado, Panamá stress free!!
Most travelers coming to Panamá will appreciate the relative ease of going through Panamá’s primary international airport (PTY) located in Tocumen. The airport is less than 20 kilometers east of Panama City. For such a large city, the airport is fairly small and usually very efficient for travelers both coming and going. The only surprise you will find is the baggage screening that takes place before you leave the secure area when arriving in Panamá.
Finding routes to PTY with airlines is fairly simple. You will find that most major cities with airline “Hubs” have daily flights to Panama City from Europe, South America and North America. Copa Airlines (the largest airline in Central America) also flies to many of these cities. Copa Airlines is a member of “The Star Alliance” group of airline companies and offers the same membership benefits as many of your favorite air carriers. Definitely worth a try!
Now that you have had a smooth trip to Panamá, why not start your stay stress free? You can certainly rent a car from one of the well known rental car companies at the airport and be adventurous! Just remember, there are insurance laws in Panama that require these companies to add liability insurance on to your quoted rate, even if you have credit card or personal insurance coverage. These rates are sometimes not quoted upfront or are displayed in a very small print in your contract.
Our Concierge Team highly recommends the local shuttle services listed here on Coronado Concierge Panama. These shuttle service companies will pick you up at the airport and deliver you to your vacation homes safe and secure.
There are also several well respected, local rental car companies listed here on Coronado Concierge with very fair prices, quality vehicles and no hidden charges!
At the end of your trip, you will be happy that you followed this advice.
If you decide to rent a a car at the airport, please see the “Travel Trips” section of the Coronado Concierge website and our blog.
Corredor Norte
The least difficult roadway is Corredor Norte. Once you leave the airport, you will come to a round-about. Follow the round-about around 270 degrees and follow the road marked on a green sign, “Panama.” You will drive approximately one kilometer and see a sign that says Corridor Sur. Take the direction “Corredor Sur” and make a complete cloverleaf so you are going north (there is not an entrance ramp going in the direction to Corredor Norte). Drive approximately 2 kilometers and you will see the entrance to Corredor Norte.
Proceed west on Corredor Norte until you come to Avenida de la Paz. Take this exit and turn right once off the ramp. You will travel past some large shopping centers and enter the Centenario Highway (no turns required as Avenida de la Paz becomes the Centenario Highway). You will know you are going in the right direction when you cross over the Centenario Bridge (easily recognizable large suspension bridge over the Panama Canal). From the bridge, drive approximately 90 kilometers to Coronado (until you come to some very modern looking shopping areas on your right hand side). Turn left just before McDonalds Restaurant. You are now in the heart of Coronado.
Corredor Sur
Follow the round-about as you would going to Corredor Norte and take the Corridor Sur entrance ramp. Stay on Corredor Sur until you reach Panama City (second set of sky scrapers here, the first set of sky scrapers is the city of Costa del Este). You are now coming to the end of Corredor Sur. Follow the signs for Avenida Balboa.
Enter Avenida Balboa via the Avenida Balboa Viaducto (Viaduct). Follow Balboa along the ocean front until Avenida Balboa ends. Follow the road bearing left around a curve that goes by the Mercado de Mariscos (fish market). Stay on this road through the round-about. You are now heading out on the water around the city. The next major land mark you will see is a stadium on your left hand side. Just after the stadium is an exit that leads to Amador and Puenta de las Americas (Bridge of Americas). Stay to the right to cross the Bridge of Americas and do not take the ramp marked Amador. There is a very good possibility you will run into very congested traffic in this area and could be backed up past the stadium.
After crossing the bridge over the Panama Canal, follow this four lane road for another 12 kilometers or so until you cross over the Americana Highway (Autopista). Stay to your left and enter the highway. From the bridge, drive approximately 80 kilometers to Coronado (until you come to some very modern looking shopping areas on your right hand side). Turn left just before the McDonalds Restaurant. You are now in the heart of Coronado.
Through the city without “PanaPass” (toll transponder)
This is the least recommended route and should only be chosen if you do not have a “PanaPass” transponder in your vehicle. The route is not overly complicated, but traffic can be horrible.
Leaving the airport, follow the round-about as you would above. Drive past the entrance ramp for Corredor Sur. You are now on Via Tocumen which turns into Avenida Domingo Díaz and eventually Via Ricardo J. Alfaro. Drive approximately 15 kilometers until you come to the crossroad Avenida de la Paz (should be clearly marked). Turn right on Avenida de la Paz. You will travel past some large shopping centers and enter the Centenario Highway (no turns required as Avenida de la Paz becomes the Centenario Highway). You will know you are going in the right direction when you cross over the Centenario Bridge. From the bridge, drive approximately 80 kilometers to Coronado (until you come to some very modern looking shopping areas on your right hand side). Turn left just before the McDonalds restaurant. You are now in the heart of Coronado.