Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Transportation
GETTING THERE & AWAY
Entering the Country
Passengers entering Panama by air are less scrutinized than those crossing by land. Upon
arrival, travelers may have to fill out a tourist card depending on their nationality; the fee is
incorporated into the price of the ticket.
The most popular overland crossing is from Costa Rica at Paso Canoas. You may be
asked to show an onward ticket - a return bus ticket to Costa Rica will suffice - and a cred-
it card or US$500. Other crossings include the low-key border at Sixaola/Guabito and the
seldom-used Río Sereno.
Flights, tours and rail tickets can be booked online at
lonelyplanet.com/bookings
.
CLIMATE CHANGE & TRAVEL
Every form of transport that relies on carbon-based fuel generates CO2, the main
cause of human-induced climate change. Modern travel is dependent on aero-
planes, which might use less fuel per kilometre per person than most cars but travel
much greater distances. The altitude at which aircraft emit gases (including CO2)
and particles also contributes to their climate change impact. Many websites offer
'carbon calculators' that allow people to estimate the carbon emissions generated
by their journey and, for those who wish to do so, to off set the impact of the green-
house gases emitted with contributions to portfolios of climate-friendly initiatives
throughout the world. Lonely Planet off sets the carbon footprint of all staff and au-
thor travel.
Air
Panama has two international airports. Most international flights arrive to Panama City's
Tocumen International Airport
(
www.tocumenpanama.aero
)
, 35km from downtown.
Located 5km southeast of the Costa Rican border, David's
Aeropuerto Enrique Malek
(
721-1072) frequently handles flights to and from San José.
With frequent flights to the US and throughout Latin America, Panama's national airline
Copa
(
www.copaair.com
)
meets international standards. Low-cost airlines that provide in-
ternational flights to Panama include
American Airlines
(
238-4695;
www.aa.com
) ,
