Your options
Recommended
Private shuttle
$35–45~45 min
Most convenient. Door-to-door from the terminal. Fixed price for up to 4 people.
- ✓Pick up at arrivals
- ✓Fixed price, no negotiating
- ✓Driver waits if flight is delayed
- ✓Can stop at ATM en route
- ·Book 24h ahead for guaranteed availability
Uber
$25–35~45 min
App-based, tracked, and usually cheaper than a negotiated taxi.
- ✓Price shown before you accept
- ✓Credit card accepted
- ✓Pick up zone marked at terminal exit
- ·Install app before landing
- ·Surge pricing on holiday weekends
Taxi
$40–60~45 min
Always available at the exit. Negotiate price before you get in — there is no meter.
- ✓No booking needed
- ✓Available 24/7
- ✓Handles large luggage easily
- ·No meter — agree price first
- ·Quality varies by driver
Public bus
$3–5~90 min
Cheapest by far. Two-bus journey with one transfer at Terminal de Occidente.
- ✓~$3 total
- ✓Frequent departures during daylight
- ✓Authentic local experience
- ·Two transfers
- ·No A/C
- ·Not practical with large bags or surfboards
Rental car
$40–60/day~45 min
Full freedom to explore the coast — El Sunzal, Punta Roca, El Zonte — on your schedule.
- ✓Hertz and Budget at the terminal
- ✓Explore beyond El Tunco easily
- ·Beach parking is limited
- ·Last 1km into El Tunco is potholed
Public bus: step by step
1
Exit arrivals, cross to the street
Walk past the taxi stand to the main road. Look for the bus stop on the right side of the terminal exit.
2
Bus toward Terminal de Occidente
Take route 138 or any bus headed into San Salvador. Tell the driver "Terminal de Occidente". Fare: ~$0.35. Ride: ~40 min.
3
Find the El Tunco microbus
At the terminal, ask anyone for the microbus to La Libertad or El Tunco — it's a well-known route. They run every 15–20 min during the day.
4
Ride to El Tunco
Tell the driver "El Tunco" when you board. Fare: ~$1.50. Ride: ~30–40 min. You'll be dropped at the main intersection in El Tunco.
First-timer tips
- →Withdraw cash at the airport ATMs (Scotiabank or Banco Agrícola) before heading out — the ATM in El Tunco runs dry on Saturday afternoons.
- →The airport WiFi is patchy. Download Uber and WhatsApp before you land.
- →If you booked a shuttle, save the driver's number before flying — WhatsApp is how everyone communicates.
- →The main coastal highway (CA-2W) is fast and well-maintained. The final 1km into El Tunco's beach strip is rough — all vehicles handle it fine.
- →Arriving at night is fine. The main strip is lit and safe to walk. Avoid La Libertad port after dark.
- →Traveling with a surfboard? Use the private shuttle — drivers are used to board bags and have space.
Common questions
You made it
Now find your first meal
Restaurants, surf schools, and everything else in El Tunco.