Inspired by the Antigua to Santa Ana route we already have, this awesome traveller named Dennis did this trip and sent us the details to help you out! Thanks, Dennis! (February, 2018)
– Santa Ana to Sonsonate (Bus 216, $0.70, 1h40 7:55-9:30)
The 216 leaves from the terminal occidente inside the market of Santa Ana. Get off at the final stop, which is the Sonsonate terminal. Note: the bus takes the highway around sonzacate and sonsonate, ideal.
– Sonsonate to la Hachadura/Frontera (Bus 429, $0.90, 1h45, 9:45-11:30)
Arriving at Sonsonate, the bay for the buses to La Hachadura/ Frontera is on your left hand. We we’re eagerly asked to board a 429 bus, which supposedly took the same route. I first wanted to get some lunch though (big food court at Sonsonate terminal!). After about 5 minutes, a new empty bus 429 was waiting, and since we had not seen a 259 approaching we went for this one. It got us to the border without any problem and is the same price. Bonus: Assasins Creed movie in the bus.
– Border crossing (11:30-12:15)
As easy as it gets. No exit stamp from El Salvador though, a piece of paper instead. Entry stamp at guatemala. Note: change money on the El Salvador side. They offered Q6.9 for a dollar, we respectfully declined, then got only Q6.8 on the Guatemalan side, with the nearest ATM 1km away (or so we were told).
– Frontera to Escuintla (Bus, Q45, 3h25!, 1:15-4:40pm)
After we had waited ~30min, the bus arrived in front of the migration building and left 15min later. We only stopped at Chiquimulilla for 30min but the pickups and dropoffs we’re plenty, especially the first half of the trip. Probably since it was midday. We told the ayudante we were going to Antigua and he told us when we reached our stop, most people left the bus here. The stop is located just after the ’roundabout’ of CA-02 OR with CA-9 on the intersection of 6a avenida and 4a avenida Zona 1 (forgot to take pictures, sry!). The bus to Antigua stops here as well.
– Escuintla to Antigua (Bus, Q8, 1h15)
Our bus to Antigua arrived only 5 min later. The ayudante tried to play the ‘I forgot your change’ game and even tried to convince us it was Q10. When I kept bugging him for the change he eventually yielded and gave us our 4Q change. When approaching Antigua, I suggest hopping off when ‘Antigua Centro’ is being called to avoid a long walk from the terminal.
All and all, pretty doable trip for one day! I would recommend taking an earlier bus from Santa Ana to hopefully save some time.
*Check out Steve’s comment below for a slightly different trip with fewer buses.
We recently had this submitted by traveler named Lukas as his route to Antigua. Reminding travellers to start early so you don’t get into Guatemala City late at night.
“From Santa Ana you can take the bus 210 to Ahuachapán (90ct, ~1 1/2h). From there you have to walk about 5 minutes through the market area to a point where microbuses leave to the border (50ct, ~30 minutes) (just ask the locals, everybody knows where to go). The border crossing took me about 20 minutes. On the Guatemalan site waited a bus going to Guatemala city (Q30, ~3h). You have to tell the bus driver to let you out at a point in where you can get the bus to Antigua. He’ll drop you at a certain point in GC from where you have to walk a bit (~10 min, just one way, if you’re unsure, ask the locals) to the point where buses leave to Antigua (Q10, ~1 1/2h). I started at around 8 a.m. and arrived at around 4 p.m., and I didn’t even hurry. Maybe this will help others”.
Check out this route in reverse: Antigua to Santa Ana
I made part of this journey a couple days ago (May 2024) – instead of starting in Santa Ana I started on the coast of El Salvador.
First I took the bus 287 from Playa Shalpa to Sonsonate (this bus comes from La Libertad and makes stops right along the coast including El Zonte). In Sonsonate I began following this route – there was a 259 ready and waiting at the terminal. I just asked one of the other bus conductors and he pointed me in it’s direction and I hopped straight on to La Frontera/La Hachadura. The bus drops you right before the immigration office and bridge. It definitely felt like more of a vehicle border – not very pedestrian friendly as you make your way through huge lorries! But plus side is there were no queues – took 2 mins to exit El Salvador. As I was going to be sitting all day I walked between the two borders which was about 15-20mins along the side of the road and totally manageable if a little sweaty! Was quickly stamped into Guatemala and I continued to walk straight from the immigration office until I saw a local bus parked on the right headed to Escuintla.
La Frontera to Escuintla cost 70q and was the longest bus of the day taking almost 4 hours (including some brief stops where people got off for food and toilets).
I asked the bus driver to drop me in Escuintla at the stop for Antigua and was dropped at La Garita Escuintla Park (a road intersection). The bus stop for Antigua was just a couple steps away from where I got off the bus) next to the big letters). It’s a busy area so plenty people to ask as well.
Escuintla to Antigua cost 20q and only took an hour. I got off on close to Mercado Central.
Very easy trip which took under 10 hours door to door.