This is a huge station and feels a lot more organized and clean than Terminal de Oriente. Buses pull up to their respective departure points and they are all clearly labeled. In front of some you can find a little hut with an employee inside to answer any questions you may have. Buses run very regularly and they even have a working website (amazing) where you can check your routes and times! There are way too many schedules to list so have a look: here.
City bus to the Terminal de Occidente
In the City, bus 34-B will take you to the Terminal from the San Benito area. If you are at the Tica Bus station or at the La Zona hostel you can check the bus stop here in Google Maps. From the Ceiba de Guadeloupe the 34-A will get you there. These two also pass the Terminal de Occidente and continue along to Terminal de Oriente. There are likely more city bus options, but these are the two we have taken more than a few times.
Terminal de Occidente to La Libertad (or Tunco, Sunzal)
You can get both a regular bus and an a/c microbus to La Libertad (or continue on to Tunco or Sunzal). The regular bus leaves from inside the station and the a/c microbus 102A will pass in front on the highway.
Terminal de Occidente to Santa Ana
You have a couple of different bus options for Santa Ana as well. There are regular buses and especial (nice red coloured a/c TUDO bus). Used to pass in front but now told it leaves from inside.
Terminal de Occidente to Sonsonate
Off to the left when you walk into the station you will find both a regular bus ($1) and an especial (a/c, $1.30) leaving for Sonsonate. If you’re travelling on a Friday or Saturday there is sure to be a big lineup. But buses essentially pull up, fill up, and pull away and another one comes right away. Buses leave every 20 minutes or so.
More destination information coming soon…
Destinations:
Ruta 102 – La Libertad
Ruta 107 – Teotepeque
Ruta 108 – San Juan Opico y Joya de Cerén
Ruta 192 – La Perla
Ruta 202 – Ahuachapán y Chalchuapa
Ruta 201 – Santa Ana y Sitio Arqueológico San Andrés
Ruta 205 – Sonsonate
Ruta 406 – Frontera La Chinamas
Ruta 498 – Candelaria de la Frontera y Frontera La Hachadura
If you have taken the bus in and out of the Terminal de Occidente then leave us a comment below about where you went and how the trip was. Help us complete the information on this page and also help your fellow travellers.
muchas gracias, pero ¿que ruta puedo agarrar para llegar a la terminal desde el estadio cuscatlan?
I took the bus from Terminal Occidente to Santa Ana. The buses leave in the terminal on the right side behind the taxi stand. Tudo is offering two different services 1) the “tradicional” (0,85USD) is a usual chicken bus, which stops whenever someone wants to get on or off and 2) the “especial” (1,35USD) are the red buses with AC. They only stop in Santa Tecla and then go straight to Santa Ana.
If you like to take the bus in Santa Tecla, there are several stops in the city. The chicken bus takes highway #1 and then goes up to the Cafetalon and follows “calle 3 oriente” to the “Mercado Duenas”, then “Avenida 10 Norte” back to the main road.
Both Tudo buses stop at the metrocentro and INSA in Santa Ana before going to the TUDO terminal outside of town. Here you can also catch the buses back to San Salvador/Santa Tecla.
The other company Seisabus have more stops on the way to Santa Ana taking some more time than the Tudo buses. The advantage here is that they go directly into the city center.
Thanks I am a single female seeking reassurance, so thanks for this information. I expect to arrive from Rio Dulce around 5pm. Are official taxi to El Tunco easy to access from this bus terminal?
Hi there, look for the office at the station to inquire about official taxis, or look for a queue with a sign for official taxis. I can’t provide 100% reassurance you will find what you need on arrival, but I can say official taxis are available from the terminal and have been each time I am there. Have a great trip!
Me pueden comentar que bus tomar para llegar a la alcaldía de Zaragoza? soy de Coatepeque en Santa Ana, pero no se que buses tomar, estaba pensando en tomar una seisabus, especial desde Coatepeque y dirigirme a la terminal de occidente, pero no se que bus tomar para llegar a la alcaldía de Zaragoza, agradecería mucho su ayuda.
Lo siento, no tenemos mas informacion sobre Zaragoza.
Hi there!
The TUDO bus to Santa Ana does leave from inside the terminal de occidente! Just took it tonight, as late as 6.30 pm. Not sure if it was the last one. Price is 1,35$, very smooth ride.
Thank you!!
On July 13, 2018, I took the Exclusivo/Directo coach to Sonsonate (then moving on to Juayua), from Occidente. The coach ain’t no chicken bus, which was parked alongside. A/C, chilly enough to the point I closed the overhead vent, comfortable seating, and an overall relaxing ambience (most curtains were closed, and many folks asleep) all made for a great 1.75-hour. Though the driver stopped a few times for passengers just outside of SanSal, it was a direct shot to Sonsonate. The driver charged me $1.60, an exceptionally good price for such a service.
Great info! Thanks for sharing. The exclusivo bus really is pretty great.
Heads up although this is the occidente listing, within the writing you have out Oriente which confused me and I went to the wrong station. You need to update the main body text to say occidente.
Thank you for pointing out that silly mistake! I have changed the word Oriente to Occidente in the 3 headings. Sorry for any confusion.
Thanks for this! I have been really nervous about travelling in El Salvador, especially San Salvador and just seeing the photos helps put my mind at ease. It doesnt look as scary as my imagination has it made out to be. I have used your site a lot for Costa Rica and look forward to using it now for El Salvador. Cheers.