Guatemala to Honduras: How to Cross by Public Transport

How to Travel Around Guatemala

If you follow me on Instagram or TikTok, you’ll know I spent a month and a couple of days volunteering at a hotel in Livingston, a small town on the Guatemalan Caribbean coast.

Because I was working at the hotel’s front desk, I ended up learning all the routes you can take from Livingston — whether within Guatemala itself, crossing from Livingston into Honduras, or even crossing into Belize. So without further ado, here’s the most up-to-date information as of today.

Step Zero for Crossing from Guatemala to Honduras: Complete the Pre-Check for Entry into Honduras

Let’s start with the dreaded paperwork, because there’s ALWAYS paperwork to deal with. Keep in mind that to enter Honduras you need to fill out a pre-entry form. You can find it at this link.

First Step: Livingston to Puerto Barrios

The first thing you need to do from Livingston is get to Puerto Barrios. To do this, you’ll take a boat from the municipal dock. Boats run starting at 5:30am, the fare is 50Q, and the trip takes about half an hour.

Things to keep in mind: the first boat leaves right on time at 5:30am, and after that, boats depart whenever they reach 14 passengers. This can take anywhere from 15 minutes to over an hour. If your goal is to make it to Roatán or Utila, it’s best to take the 5:30am boat, since the last ferry to the islands leaves at 4:30pm. If you’re planning to spend the night in La Ceiba, you can take a later boat. There’s also a boat that leaves at 6am and only costs 20Q, though it takes about an hour and fifteen minutes. I took that one — it left right on time at 6am, and by 7:15 I was at the Puerto Barrios dock.

So far, crossing from Livingston to Honduras is easy and cheap, right? Let’s keep going.

Second Step: Getting to the Corinto–Honduras Buses

Once you arrive in Puerto Barrios, your second step is getting to the buses that head to the border. You’ll find them at the Central Market, across from the Maxim restaurant. If you arrive early in the morning, it’s a good idea to take a taxi to the bus stations. Yes, I know — you’ll look at the map and want to walk since it’s only 10 minutes, but if you arrive at 6am when it’s still dark out, walking isn’t recommended.

My experience: I didn’t actually cross into Honduras — I was headed to Guatemala City, so I took the 20Q boat and arrived at 7:15, when it was already daylight and several cafés were open. Because of that, I walked. I went on foot from the dock to the bus stations and it felt very safe, but again: it was already daytime by then. The advice locals at the hotel taught me to pass along is that if you arrive in Puerto Barrios at 6am, it’s better to take a taxi. The taxis are right there at the dock, and they should charge you no more than 15Q.

Keep in mind: the buses start leaving at 5am and cost 30Q. Just like the boats, they only depart once full, and they make several stops along the way.

Third Step: From the Border to Your Destination in Honduras

Immigration for both countries is handled in the same building. Once you’ve gone through, look for the direct buses to San Pedro Sula (Maya de Oro buses), which cost approximately 150Q. The San Pedro Sula bus station is the largest in Central America, so from there it’ll be easy to get to wherever you need to go.

If you’re even hoping to reach the islands, and you started your trip at 5:30am from Livingston, you should be able to make it to the La Ceiba ferry.

And that covers everything about the logistics of crossing from Livingston to Honduras.

Done!

Here is another route that might interest you: