Four sellers publish a shared shuttle from Antigua straight to San Salvador, every day, and their prices run from US$37 to USD 60. Three leave at 09:00 and take about seven hours; Atitrans is the one with an early (04:00) and afternoon (11:00, 15:00) departure. If you are going to the beaches instead, see Antigua to El Tunco. Everything below was read on 2 October 2026; prices are per person in US dollars.
Quick summary
- Cheapest published: Gekko Trails Explorer, 09:00, from US$37, about 7 hours, shared minibus with a brief stop in Playa El Tunco.
- Hotel to hotel: Adrenalina Tours, 09:00, USD 55 in its details and USD 50 on its booking card, 7 hours; book 48 hours ahead.
- Most departures: Atitrans, 04:00, 11:00 or 15:00, from USD 60, 6 hours, to the Transporte del Sol terminal on Calle Circunvalación.
- Also at 09:00: Shuttle Nation, from US$50, 7 hours 30 minutes, to Shell Café El Pedregal.
- Border extras the sellers list: US$1 (Gekko, Shuttle Nation) to USD 2-5 (Bigfoot), cash.
- Via the capital: Guatemala City to San Salvador Pullman at 06:00, 13:00, 15:00, USD 50, 4 hours (Guatemala Transportation).
The four Antigua departures
| Seller | Leaves Antigua | Price | Published duration | Pick-up | Drop-off in San Salvador |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gekko Trails Explorer | 09:00, every day | From US$37 | About 7 h | Hotels and hostels in downtown Antigua per its description (its details say meeting point) | San Salvador (after a brief stop in Playa El Tunco) |
| Shuttle Nation | 09:00, every day | From US$50 | 7 h 30 min | Café La Parada (6a Avenida Norte 42), Café Condesa Express #2, Hotel Cacique Real, Rincóncito Antigüeño, Tanque La Unión | Shell Café El Pedregal |
| Adrenalina Tours | 09:00, daily | USD 55 in the details · USD 50 on the card | 7 h | Hotels in Antigua | Hotels in San Salvador |
| Atitrans | 04:00, 11:00, 15:00, every day | From USD 60 | 6 h | Atitrans office or hotels in the historic centre | Transporte del Sol, Calle Circunvalación |
Read before you book:
- Adrenalina’s two prices (USD 55 and USD 50) are on the same page; confirm the total when you book. It asks for bookings 48 hours ahead.
- Gekko and Shuttle Nation both say a third-party operator runs the service. Gekko allows one backpack or suitcase and one handbag, with an extra backpack at US$5, a bike at US$15 and a surfboard at US$5; changes or cancellations up to 24 hours before departure.
- Atitrans titles its service “Executive Class Bus” and ends at Transporte del Sol’s terminal rather than at your hotel.
- Documents: Gekko and Shuttle Nation ask for a valid passport. For what crossing into El Salvador means for your Guatemala stay, see the CA-4 border run guide.
The alternative: via Guatemala City
If you are already in the capital, or want more choice of times, the Pullman buses leave from Guatemala City, not Antigua. Guatemala Transportation lists 06:00, 13:00 and 15:00, USD 50, listed as 4 hours (the listing also notes the border crossing, an entrance tax and a personal tax). Every operator on that route, with terminals and fares, is on Guatemala City to San Salvador; for the first leg, see Antigua to Guatemala City. Pullmantur and Tica Bus have their own pages: Pullmantur, Tica Bus.
At the border
None of the four Antigua sellers names the crossing it uses. Gekko says part of its route runs along the Pacific coastal highway with a stop in El Tunco. The four Guatemala–El Salvador crossings and their hours are compared on El Salvador border crossings.
| Who | Extra charge listed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gekko Trails Explorer | US$1.00 per passenger | For the immigration office to process pre-checks |
| Shuttle Nation | US$1, cash only | Listed as an extra fee, not included |
| Bigfoot Hostel (San Salvador → Antigua) | USD 2-5, cash only | Listed as border fees |
| Guatemala Transportation (Guatemala City Pullman) | Amount not published | Mentions an entrance tax and a personal tax |
These are what the sellers print, not an official schedule of border fees. El Salvador uses the US dollar, so small dollar bills cover them.
Coming back: San Salvador to Antigua
| Seller | Leaves San Salvador | Price | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gekko Trails Explorer | Printed as 2:00 AM, every day | From US$37 | About 6 h | Hotel pick-up in San Salvador; collects passengers from El Tunco and other beaches on the way |
| Bigfoot Hostel (reseller) | 14:00 (pick-up 13:45-14:30), arrives 22:00 | Not in the captured page text | 8 h | Change of vehicle in El Tunco; airport pick-up USD 10 extra; minimum 2 travellers, or USD 80 for one |
| AtitlanTour (to Guatemala City) | 05:00, 06:30, 15:00 | USD 46 | 5 h | First-class bus to the capital; then the leg to Antigua |
Gekko’s 2:00 AM is printed as published; confirm the time when you book. Bigfoot is a hostel in León, Nicaragua, reselling the route; its page says Central American citizens must book by WhatsApp at least seven days ahead.
What is not published
- Which border crossing each Antigua seller uses.
- An Antigua to San Salvador airport (SAL) drop-off from any seller we read.
- An official list of fees at the El Salvador border; the amounts above are sellers’ figures.
- A return from San Salvador with Adrenalina or Atitrans (not read on 2 October 2026).
Sources
- Gekko Trails Explorer, Antigua to San Salvador and San Salvador to Antigua; Shuttle Nation, Antigua to Santa Ana, El Tunco and San Salvador; Adrenalina Tours, shuttles from Antigua; Atitrans, Antigua to San Salvador — all read 2 October 2026 (prices and currencies as each page’s booking data gives them)
- Bigfoot Hostel, San Salvador to Antigua, read 2 October 2026
- Guatemala Transportation shuttle schedule and AtitlanTour schedule, read 2 October 2026
![Antigua to Iximché: Shuttle to Tecpán, Private Tour or Bus [2026]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=640,format=auto,quality=80/images/articles/og-default.webp)