Lake Atitlán Ferry Schedules 2025: Lancha Prices + Map

One of the most important things to figure out on Lake Atitlán is the boat system, locally called the lancha. Knowing this can help you hop from town to town effortlessly.

Having spent a month in Lake Atitlán, I’ll help demystify the pricing mafia I encountered to help save you from scams. This schedule will be updated with the help of local Guatemalan friends still living at the lake.

This local guide includes 👇:

Lake Atitlán Ferry Route Map

Panajachel which locals know as Pana is likely the first town you'll land in Lake Atitlán. From this gateway town, you can springboard to other towns using these public boat routes.

• 🟠 Orange Route – Regular boat between San Pedro, San Juan, San Pablo, San Marcos, Tzununa, Jaibalito, Santa Cruz, and Panajachel. Boats stop at nearly every town.
• 🟢 Green Route - Direct express boat between San Pedro and Panajachel only available early in the morning.
• 🔴 Red Route – Direct express boats from San Pedro and Panajachel to Santiago Atitlán (and vice versa).
• 🟣 Purple Route – Public boats between Panajachel and San Lucas Tolimán but only private boats between Panajachel, Santa Catarina Palopó and San Antonio Palopó.

Ferry Schedules

San Pedro ⇄ Panajachel Schedule

The boat duration is a rough estimate dependent on total stops, weather, and traffic. In general, every stop to a small town takes 5 minutes including waiting time which sums up to 45 minutes.

Panajachel ⇄ San Lucas Tolimán Schedule

Boats in this route are less frequent than the popular route on the northern part of the lake going to San Pedro.

Ferry Prices

Fares range between Q5—Q25. The prices listed in the ferry schedule are what local friends advised me to pay as a tourist. Locals & residents pay less because they travel every day.

Despite the rates shown above, I was told to pay the rates listed in the schedules above which is roughly Q5 above the local rate. Your experience may vary depending on your ethnicity and if you have a big backpack, unfortunately.

Sadly, those are just the rules in Guatemala. I was also told by local officials that if I spend a month in the lake, I can apply for a sort of pass to receive the same rates as locals but I didn't follow up.

Are Private Boats Worth It?

In general, you can get around with public boats. But if you fit any of the following criteria, you should consider hiring a private lancha/boat.

• You stay at a hotel that is isolated
• You are traveling with a big family or group of people
• You are short for time and want a private tour
• You have a flight arriving late at night or early in the morning

Private Boat Prices

Private boats fares start at around Q300. Depending on the distance it can range from Q100—Q400 per group.

Ferry Tips From Locals

1. 🧭 Tell the captain where you're stopping - if you're going to a small town like Jaibalito or Tzununa, tell the captain you're stopping there or they might skip it.
2. 👋 Wave to the boat when at small villages - similarly if you're in a small town, you will need to wave to the boat captains or they won't stop at these towns if they are no potential passengers.
3. 💵 Carry small bills - boat captains normally don't carry that much change so have the exact amount for your trip which might also help not to get overcharged.
4. ☝️ Pay after your boat trip - there's a serious problem with overcharging at the boat docks where boat captains force you to buy a ticket before entering the boat overcharging tourists by asking for a fixed rate so just pay the proper rate after you arrive.
5. 🤐 Don't ask how much - the best way to avoid getting overcharged is simply paying the captain the correct price for your trip because asking allows them to charge you the maximum fare.
6. ☀️ Don't wait for the last boat - waiting for the last boat means you will be at the mercy of the boat captain charging you the maximum fare which happened to me so try to leave before the sun goes down.
7. 🛺 Have a backup plan - if you miss the last boat, you can check if there's a tuk tuk or public bus to your town but also know that the last buses leave early at around 5PM and tuk tuks may not want to take you.
8. ⛴️ Avoid midday boats - the lake is calmer during the morning so if you want to avoid bouncy boat rides, it's best to leave before midday.

Tips To Avoid Being Overcharged

Locals pay a cheaper rate because they live there. It's a very debatable subject but it's important to know that this is not our country and we must follow their rules.

The more foreign you look and the bigger your backpack, the more you will get charged.

Here's what I recommend for tourists:

1. 🚫 Don't ask for the price like EVER.
2. 🤔 Know the exact price of your boat trip.
3. 💵 Give the exact amount of money for your trip.
4. 🚤 Pay after your boat ride and not before.
5. 🧑‍✈️ Pay the boat captain and not the assistant.

These tips will signal to the boat captain that you know the boat/lancha system. If you pay the exact amount, say thanks and walk away, the boat captain will know that you know what's up. This is the way.

Ferry Terminal Docks

There are public and private docks at most large towns. Larger towns have two public docks to cater for different destinations.

Ferry Mafia Story

When I first arrived at the lake, I was with my travel partner and one of the first things that bugged us was that tourists were getting overcharged everywhere. It was easy to become distrustful with locals but over time we learned how to navigate it.

The first problem with the boat system is that there are no signs showing official prices. That sucks for foreigners because most of the travelers are coming for a one-time experience and splurge on everything. I'm not that type of traveler yet unfortunately.

Yes, I'm on a budget but I also want to support locals while being treated fairly.

About Author

Everything written on this blog is based on first-hand experience or knowledge as a local living in Belize. No fluff, just honest information.