All of the buses coming and going through Suchitoto pass by the Mercado Municipal (see map). They continue down that same street and head out of town at the Alba gas station, where buses to Aguilares go one way and buses to San Salvador go another.
Suchitoto to Terminal de Oriente
When in Suchitoto you can grab either the 129 full size bus with a/c for $1, or the 140 microbus $0.90. Important: on the return trip this bus passes close but not right at the Terminal de Oriente. You are likely to be let off in the same spot I was and I am not sure I recommend it, especially late in the day. Essentially you are dropped at a little side street that leads to a staircase that goes to the terminal through a back road. There is a high military presence and probably for good reason. Remember, the area around the Terminal de Oriente is not a good one, and my guess is a little back alley like this is low on the safety list. So what to do instead? Stay on the bus until the last stop and grab a really cheap taxi to the terminal. See photos below.
Terminal de Oriente to Suchitoto
The bus doesn’t pull into the actual station, instead it passes on the main highway outside of the station just ask someone and they will tell you exactly where to stand. Buses to Suchitoto are originating from the Punta de Microbuses 140 in the centre. Open in Google Maps. You have two bus options. You can either take the 129 full size bus with a/c for $1, or the 140 microbus $0.90 and both take about 1hr. Very important: there are several 140 microbuses that pass here so be sure you get on the one labeled Suchitoto. I am told some of the other routes go to some less safe areas. Both buses take about the same time.
Suchitoto to Santa Ana
I have not done this one myself but here is what the lovely girl at the tourist information centre mapped out for me. First you need to get the 163 heading to Aguilares. This bus leaves every 40 minutes and costs $0.70. Tell the driver you are going to Apopa and need to get off at the Texaco gas station. You can then grab the 119 or the 125 heading to the POMA last station in Apopa. From there grab the 276 to Santa Ana. This bus passes every 2hrs and starts at 7am. Sorry not sure when the last bus is but my guess would be around 5pm.
One traveller named Davy confirmed this and commented below with extra details from Sept 2018:
Suchitoto -> Aguilares 40 minutes $0.75
Aguilares -> Apopa 30-40 minutes $0.40
Apopa -> Santa Ana 2 hours $0.80
The bus to Santa Ana left at 10:45h at the Puma gas station, but stayed for 10 minutes at the market around the corner to fill up. The bus 276 final stop is at Terminal de Occidente.
Another Traveller named Lauren added extra details to this route (Dec 2018):
Note: the gas station you want is the Puma at the end of Apopa on the right hand side, NOT the first one you pass on the left at the beginning of town. The 276 only goes between Apopa and Santa Ana. Because of this it doesn’t come down the main road, but rather comes into the carpark of Puma. If you look at the gas station from the road it arrives and leaves on the left hand side. The bus arrived at 11.15am, left at 11.20am and slowly went through the markets, meaning it didn’t really leave down until 11.45am. Arriving at Santa Ana at 1.45pm.
San Miguel to Suchitoto
Get on the bus headed to San Salvador and ask the bus driver to drop you at San Martin and be sure you make it clear you are going to Suchitoto so he will drop you in the right spot. There is a bus that runs approximately every hour to Suchitoto. We haven’t done this but one helpful traveller confirmed some details – “When the driver drops you at San Martin, you have to cross the big boulevard using a crosswalk overpass and wait for the bus 129 or a microbus 140 with Suchitoto written on it, that comes much more frequently then the 129 bus!” (see comments section below)
Suchitoto to San Miguel
One helpful traveller name Kostas has given us the details on this route. He says: “In Suchitoto, take bus 129 to San Salvador from the side street at the market. Let the driver know you want to get off at San Martin on the highway at the overpass. It takes about an hour. Cross the highway (use the overpass) and catch bus 301 to San Miguel. A couple things to note: San Martin is not the safest town, so don’t get off on the town center and walk to the highway, or don’t wonder around. The 301 buses to San Miguel are newer and the number is hard to see, pay close attention or you might miss one, or two, like we did.”
El Tunco to Suchitoto
Heading from the beach – El Tunco to Suchitoto? Here is how you do it nice and quick! Grab the 102A (a/c microbus) from El Tunco (or Sunzal or La Libertad). This bus will cost $1.50 and will take you all the way into San Salvador. From the last stop, take a taxi to the Punto de Microbuses Ruta 140. It isn’t far from where you are dropped off, but this area of San Salvador isn’t the greatest and I am told by locals that the safety of this area is improving, but I myself prefer to take the cheap taxi ride which only about 17 blocks and shouldn’t cost you more than $5. Once you are at Punto de Microbuses 140, you will know you are getting on the right bus because it will be labeled Suchitoto in big letters. This bus will cost you $0.90 and takes about 1hr.
Suchitoto to El Tunco
Head back to San Salvador and go all the way to the last stop, Punto de Microbuses ruta 140 and grab a taxi to the Punto de Microbuses 102. Make sure they are taking you to the stop with microbus 102A to Sunzal. This bus will pass by El Tunco on the way to Sunzal. Easy! (see above for extra info)
Aguilaris to Suchitoto
The bus from Aguilaris to Suchitoto is #163. It depart every 30-40 minutes. More information coming soon.
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!
Hi. Is it safe for a woman travelling alone to take a taxi in San Salvador streets, just waving my hand on the streets (with no calling)? And to take these buses? I intend to go to El Salvador and Honduras. Tk you
I went from Suchitoto to Santa Ana today (September 2018) and the guide works perfect. Some more detailed info:
Suchitoto -> Aguilares 40 minutes $0.75
Aguilares -> Apopa 30-40 minutes $0.40
Apopa -> Santa Ana 2 hours $0.80
The bus to Santa Ana left at 10:45h at the Puma gas station, but stayed for 10 minutes at the market around the corner to fill up. The bus 276 final stop is at Terminal de Occidente. And I guess I got lucky with cutting it 30 minutes short.
Thanks so much for this! My partner and I followed it perfectly today! Here’s our experience:
We jumped on the 163 in Suchitoto at 9am and arrived in Aguilares at 9.55am. This was our fullest bus.
We weren’t dropped off at the Texaco gas station, we had to walk through the market and to the main road on our left.
Once we got there we jumped straight onto the 119, left at 10.10am and arriving at Apopa at 10.40am.
Note: the gas station you want is the Puma at the end f Apopa on the right hand side, NOT the first one you pass on the left at the beginning of town.
The 276 only goes between Apopa and Santa Ana. Because of this it doesn’t come down the main road, but rather comes into the carpark of Puma. If you look at the gas station from the road it arrives and leaves on the left hand side.
The bus arrived at 11.15am, left at 11.20am and slowly went through the markets, meaning it didn’t really leave down until 11.45am. Arriving at Santa Ana at 1.45pm.
The prices listed above seemed right, but if you don’t have the exact amount, don’t expect change.. 🙂
Thanks, Lauren and Davy, very helpful!
Did this route today and was really straight forward, the guys collecting the money on the buses were all really helpful with telling us where to get off. Plenty of space on all buses too. Here are our timings:
10.20am depart Suchitoto
11.15am arrived in aguilares and bus was waiting to depart for Apopa so we hopped straight on. Price is up to $0.50 now. Arrived in Apopa 11.40am
11.45am bus to Santa Ana arrived departed at 12pm.
Thanks for all the tips!
Just an update: On 7/23/18, I took the 140 to Suchitoto from Punta de Microbuses 140 in the centre of SanSal. My Couchsurfing host drove me to the center, dropping me off in the small parking lot of the Punta de Microbuses 140, asking the driver of the micro bus labelled with 140 that was parked there if he would go to Suchitoto, which he did, even though the bus was NOT labelled with the name Suchitoto.
I was glad to be seated in the single seat on the right side, with backpacks in tow, well before the rest of the journey’s passengers boarded at various stops on the outskirts of SanSal, for it got REALLY crowded, to the point where an old woman’s gut was resting on my shoulder, a man’s gut–who was straddling the aisle, too, shadowing my forehead, his thighs pressed firmly into my left leg. My vision to my left was further blocked by a large woman’s breasts, which were brushing against the ear of the passenger seated in front of me, all giving me the feeling of what sardines must experience when processed in a tin can. At one point, midway to Suchitoto (as I followed our route on Maps.me), it cleared out, but then getting closer, along the country roads, we picked up a large group of teens/pre-teens who filled the aisle to the brim again.
Total fare: 90 cents
That really summed up a bus trip in Central America! Imagine for a few years in a row I did about two months solid of buses just like that to make this site. ha.
I can confirm that the San Miguel – Suchitoto via San Martin works like a charm going the opposite direction as well:
– In Suchitoto, take bus 129 to San Salvador from the side street at the market.
– Let the driver know you want to get off at San Martin on the highway at the overpass. It takes about an hour.
– Cross the highway (use the overpass) and catch bus 301 to San Miguel.
A couple things to note:
– San Martin is not the safest town, so don’t get off on the town center and walk to the highway, or don’t wonder around.
– The 301 buses to San Miguel are newer and the number is hard to see, pay close attention or you might miss one, or two, like we did.
Happy travels.
Thanks, Kostas! I have added your info above.
Is the route Cojutepeque – San Vicente – Zacatecoluca safe? I wonder if from Zacatecoluca I can get a bus to La Libertad!! Any comment is welcome!! Cheers!
Hi there! I asked in the past and have been told there is a bus from Zacatecoluca to La Libertad, the bottom of this page shows the numbers I was told, though I never could confirm. I can’t comment on safety as that’s up to you. I didn’t really enjoy Zacatecolouca and was keen to get out of there, just a big long busy road jammed with traffic, and hot. If you do this route, please come back and tell us how it went so future travellers can benefit from your experience!
I took the road through Aguilares and Tacachico…. I left Suchitoto at 11,arrived to Aguilares in time to catch the next bus at 12.10. Although there are no buses from Tacachico to Santa Ana til 5.30pm, so I had to wait a lot 🙂
Hi Andrea! Thanks for leaving more information for your fellow travellers! Definitely frustrating when one part of the trip goes smooth, only to have to wait hours in the end! But, that’s what travel is all about sometime too, haha. Lots of waiting with buses!
Holà! I have tested San Miguel to Suchitoto and it works well! When the driver drops you at San Martin, you have to cross the big boulevard using a crosswalk overpass and wait for the bus 129 or a microbus 140 with Suchitoto written on it, that comes much more frequently then the 129 bus!
Thanks, Tran!! I will update the info above to have travellers check out your comment. Keep us posted on any other helpful travel info you may have!
Be aware of travelling from Suchitoto to anywhere but San Salvador on public holidays. We were there over Easter and despite numerous locals telling us there would be buses on Good Friday and Saturday to the Honduran border, not a single bus showed up!! We therefore had to get a bus to San Salvador and from there to Santa Ana (both were running fine, just less frequently).
Hi, we traveled from San Salvador to Suchitoto and back on the last week of December 2019. The stop in San Salvador is still the one near Iglesia del Rosario, it’s marked in Google Maps. The prices are still 0.90-1, depending on the buses.
Thanks for this amazing website!