Beginning March 15, 2023, Tocumen international airport is now accessible by metro!
Yours truly took a field trip to test it out.
Here is my evaluation of the experience:
-Metro is safe, clean, and cheap (costs $0.85 full fare one way: $0.35 to Corredor Sur stop, then $0.50 to Tocumen, compared to $15-$35 by Uber or taxi)
-Fare cards can be purchased with cash or by credit card at automatic kiosks. The basic card costs $2, and your fare is deducted from that amount when you scan the card at the turnstile.
-Trip is fast: 20 minutes from the downtown core, 40 minutes from Albrook. Trains run every 10 minutes from 5 a.m. - 11 p.m.
-The Albrook terminal serving all buses to the interior of the country is now accessible from Tocumen.
-There are 3 transfers involved: one at San Miguelito, one at Corredor Sur, and then a shuttle bus to Terminals 1 and 2.
-Signage is clear.
-There is walking involved, so impractical for with anyone with mobility issues.
-I found an elevator at the Corredor Sur stop, and assume there is one at San Miguelito also. Otherwise you use the escalators.
-IMO, travellers with a lot of luggage or big suitcases will find the trip difficult, but it is easy with a wheeled carry-on or backpack.
-The metro can be crowded, especially at the San Miguelito interchange. Best to travel during off-peak hours.
Here are links to 2 YouTube videos, in Spanish, to give you a visual overview. The first is taken from downtown to the airport, and the second from the airport to the city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm2a1fbas0Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MsQ-5EHYk8
Yours truly took a field trip to test it out.
Here is my evaluation of the experience:
-Metro is safe, clean, and cheap (costs $0.85 full fare one way: $0.35 to Corredor Sur stop, then $0.50 to Tocumen, compared to $15-$35 by Uber or taxi)
-Fare cards can be purchased with cash or by credit card at automatic kiosks. The basic card costs $2, and your fare is deducted from that amount when you scan the card at the turnstile.
-Trip is fast: 20 minutes from the downtown core, 40 minutes from Albrook. Trains run every 10 minutes from 5 a.m. - 11 p.m.
-The Albrook terminal serving all buses to the interior of the country is now accessible from Tocumen.
-There are 3 transfers involved: one at San Miguelito, one at Corredor Sur, and then a shuttle bus to Terminals 1 and 2.
-Signage is clear.
-There is walking involved, so impractical for with anyone with mobility issues.
-I found an elevator at the Corredor Sur stop, and assume there is one at San Miguelito also. Otherwise you use the escalators.
-IMO, travellers with a lot of luggage or big suitcases will find the trip difficult, but it is easy with a wheeled carry-on or backpack.
-The metro can be crowded, especially at the San Miguelito interchange. Best to travel during off-peak hours.
Here are links to 2 YouTube videos, in Spanish, to give you a visual overview. The first is taken from downtown to the airport, and the second from the airport to the city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm2a1fbas0Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MsQ-5EHYk8
