The first step is to arrive in the Republic of Panama. Once here you can travel by train, air, or highway to get to the Colon Free Zone.
Passengers that arrive at the Tocumen International Airport, Panama City have different land and air alternatives to travel to the Colon Free Trade Zone. For Caribbean cruise ship passengers that dock at either of the Colon 2000 or Cristobal ports there is transportation available to the Free Trade Zone as well as to other tourist attractions in the Colon area.
Besides cargo transport, the Panama Railway offers passenger service between Panama City and Colon Monday through Friday departing from the Corozal Train Terminal in Panama City. The trip lasts 50 minutes and the cost of a round-trip ticket is around USD$ 55.00 per adult, and USD$ 25 for kids.
The railroad follows a picturesque path across the Isthmus of Panama. The line flanks the Panama Canal passing through lush rainforests, cruising alongside the Canal's locks, through the historic Gaillard Cut and gliding over slender causeways in Gatun Lake.
The Panama Canal Railway is one of the great train rides of the world. Along with its colorful history, the railroad follows a picturesque path across the Isthmus of Panama. The line flanks the Panama Canal passing through lush rainforests, cruising alongside the Canal’s locks, through the historic Gaillard Cut and gliding over slender causeways in Gatun Lake. It effectively links one of the World’s less traveled but most attractive tourism corridors between Colon on the Atlantic Coast and Panama on the Pacific. Passengers disembarking at the Colon 2000 Cruise Terminal, the Gatun Yacht Club, or at Pier 6 in Cristobal can enjoy different shore excursions offered in Panama and ride the historic railroad as did our forefathers in their quest for wealth during the California Gold Rush.
For more information call the Panama Railway Company at (507) 315-7500 or visit their website www.panarail.com
Albrook is an area right next to the Panama Canal / port where cargo is unloaded. Albrook has a mall and adequate shopping in the area. It has an airport (Marcos Gelabert) which most Panamanians call Albrook airport. This airport can only support small aircrafts which fly to others provinces and now to others countries as well. You can fly from Marcos Gelabert airport in Albrook, to the Enrique Adolfo Jiménez International airport in the city of Colon.
Rental car is always a good way to travel from Panama City to the Colon Free Trade Zone. There are a variety of rental car companies that offer 24 hour service in the Tocumen International Airport. In the cities of Panama and Colon the majority of companies are open Monday through Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and some offer service Sundays and holidays. By means of the tollway Corredor Norte (average toll fare US$ 2.50 one way Panama-Colon and viceversa) or by the Transistmica Highway one can arrive at the Free Trade Zone in 1 hour and 15 minutes. If you decide to venture the trip by car or are already familiar with Panama we recommend you visit Budget Car and Truck Rental and make your reservation online. For a complete list of rental car agencies in Panama click here.
Another option for travel from Panama City to Colon is by comfortable, air-conditioned express buses that depart from the modern Albrook Transportation Terminal of Panama City. Departures are every 15 minutes in the mornings and every 30 minutes throughout the rest of the day until 10:00 p.m. The bus terminal in Colon is located at the intersection of Calle 14 and Avenida Bolivar with departures from Colon to Panama City every 30 minutes throughout the day, with the exception of Sundays. The ticket price is US$ 2.50 round-trip with a one-way trip duration of 1 hour and 15 minutes. There also are non-express buses without air-conditioning with a round-trip ticket price of US$ 1.25
Although the Colon bus terminal is located relatively close to the Colon Free Zone it is not recommended to walk. It is preferible to take a readily available taxi from the Bus Terminal to the Free Trade Zone.
Private transport companies (taxis, mini-buses, etc.) offer round-trip transfers from Panama City to the Colon Free Trade Zone starting at US$ 50.00 and up.
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