The main terminal in Sonsonate is huge and many travellers use this station as a connection to/from the beaches of El Tunco, El Zonte or La Libertad (Bus 287), to Santa Ana (Bus 216 or 209) enroute to Cerro Verde, as well as Ahuachapán, Juayúa and Ataco (Bus 249). No ATM at this terminal that we know of.
Sonsonate to San Salvador
Bus 205 goes back and forth to San Salvador with two options: ordinary bus ($1) and especial ($1.30). Buses leave about every 20 minutes and depart from the terminal across the street from the main terminal. Just 200meters away. You can see it on the map. This bus goes to the Terminal de Occidente
Sonsonate to Juayúa or Ataco
Grab the bus headed to Auachapán (249) and get off along the way. It will pass Juayúa first and then Ataco after that. Easy!
Sonsonate to El Tunco or La Libertad
Bus 287 goes all the way from Sonsonate to La Libertad. It takes about 2hrs and costs $1.50. Once in the morning and once in the afternoon: 5:50am and 3:30pm. It’s best to arrive early if you want a seat since this bus only goes twice per day and locals will be there standing in line by 3pm!
Others:
Sonsonate -> Ahuachapán : Bus 249, every 15min, $0.50, ~ 45min
Sonsonate -> Juayúa : Bus 249, every 15min, $0.50, ~ 45min
Sonsonate -> Frontera: 259
Help your fellow traveller
If you have taken any of the buses on this page, please drop us a comment below about how the trip went, what time you left, how long it took and what it cost. And, definitely let us know if we have anything wrong.
Lets help each other in our travels!
Instead of waiting for the later bus from Sonsonate to the coast you can take the 261 from Sonsonate to La Perla which runs regularly throughout the day. When you get off in La Perla there are buses regularly passing that go along the coastal road – I asked the first one that stopped if it was going past Playa Shalpa and hopped on!
Wait at platform 19 for all buses to the coast, as it was Saturday the 261 was less frequent but showed up after about 2 hours of us waiting there (around 2.30pm) we got the 261 bus to La Pearla, got off with everyone else & then waited at the shack across the road for the next bus along the coast to El Tunco
From Sonsonate the busses to the coast will leave all from platform 19. You can take bus 261, which leaves every half an hour to La Perla. Everyone will get out of the buss. Wait for the next one which goes to La libertad.
Sonsonate to La Libertad. It takes about 2hrs and costs $1.18. The price is displayed above the driver. All other information is spot on. October 2023
If you’re going to Santa Ana, take the bus 216 which goes directly, not the 209 which goes via the lake and takes longer. 216 leaving every half an hour or so until 5 or 6pm, costs $.70