Has anyone here been on this? I like the idea, and I fancy basing a holiday around it. There is one minor issue that I've seen - the schedule is that the train leaves Panama City early in the morning (8.15, I think), takes an hour to get to Colon and then returns to Panama City at 5.15 in the afternoon, leaving one with a day in Colon. The problem is that Colon appears to be extremely unsafe - normally I'd take such alarm with a pinch of salt but pretty much everywhere I've looked says something along the lines of "Don't under any circumstances go wandering around Colon, if you're lucky you'll only get mugged." So, has anyone been, is Colon really that bad, and what did you do for the day if so?
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The Panama Canal railway
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AndyBTravels on Twitter has very recently tweeted about an afternoon trip. He went one way by bus.
AndyBTravels (@AndyBTravels) https://twitter.com/AndyBTravels?s=03
AndyBTravels (@AndyBTravels) https://twitter.com/AndyBTravels?s=03
dutchflyer
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This-see also the high price, is meant for daytrippers who do the other way by canalboat-THE highlight of a panama trip anyway. Singles are only sold on the day to the amount of seats not taken up by tourist-groups, as such its not a real open railway-and, do i really need to say that? plenty of buses if not interested in boats.
I'd like to do the canal one way and the railway the other way, but I can't find any canal trips that work like that - I can only find one that includes compulsorily being bussed back to Panama City as soon as the boat gets to the other end of the canal.
Still, coming back by bus seems like a sensible suggestion if there are plenty of them - a way to get a different view as well. Thanks!
Still, coming back by bus seems like a sensible suggestion if there are plenty of them - a way to get a different view as well. Thanks!
I did this trip some years ago. The train operates on weekdays only with an early departure from Panama City. The station is some distance from downtown and you will need a taxi to get there. Road traffic is VERY heavy and the taxi ride can be its own adventure. It is an interesting trip. Locomotives, carriages and operation is all American practice.
Panama is a dangerous place so great care should always be exercised. It is advised to NOT use local buses. At Colon I was advised not to leave the station yard as I would only get 100 yards before being mugged. Transport will be available to take you to somewhere safe. Many go to a Free Trade Zone and others to pre-arranged tours of some kind.
If you make the trip please post a report.
Panama is a dangerous place so great care should always be exercised. It is advised to NOT use local buses. At Colon I was advised not to leave the station yard as I would only get 100 yards before being mugged. Transport will be available to take you to somewhere safe. Many go to a Free Trade Zone and others to pre-arranged tours of some kind.
If you make the trip please post a report.
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