Xela to Antigua by Public Bus

Getting from Xela to Antigua by the “chicken” bus is super easy and a thousand times (exaggerating, obviously) cheaper than doing it by shuttle. I always say the same thing: it’s not that taking a shuttle is wrong or makes you “less of a traveler,” it’s about what you’re prioritizing. If all you want is to get from one place to another quickly, comfortably, and easily, then shuttles are the best option. But if you want to get to know the culture and save a few quetzales along the way, you’re better off going from Xela to Antigua by public bus.

Personally, I travel to meet people, see and experience the culture I’m visiting. So I’ll always prefer to travel the way a local would rather than like a tourist. It’s a personal choice based on my travel priorities. Nothing more, nothing less.

The first thing you need to do is get to the Minerva station, where all the buses depart from.

From downtown, you can walk or take a minibus. I’ll tell you about the route I took, and then I’ll leave you some recommendations locals gave me.

Xela to Antigua: the details

My trip:

• Xela to Los Encuentros: 30 quetzales
• Los Encuentros to Chimaltenango (by minivan): 25 quetzales
• Chimaltenango to Antigua: 10 quetzales

Total from Xela to Antigua by public bus: 65 quetzales Shuttle price from Xela to Antigua: 225 quetzales

Routes suggested by locals (but I don’t have pricing info) for getting from Xela to Antigua by public bus:

• Xela to Chimaltenango to Antigua
• Xela to San Lucas to San Lucas to Antigua

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That’s it, friends, hope this helps. It’s totally possible to get around Guatemala by public transport, it’s just that a lot of the time (most of the time, really) you only get the information once you arrive at each destination, since there’s not much online and the schedules are only really known by the people who live in those towns.

If you have any questions, you know where to find me,

Traveler hugs, Angie!

Forgot to mention: do volunteering in Guatemala, I had the best experiences: I want my Worldpackers 25% discount!